The Matrix an Untold Story
by Kbrandan2004
Summary: This story was written 4 years ago I know the first part is somewhat rushed but it was never supposed to be as long as it turned out to be. I would also like to dedicate this Story to Colin Wilmot character inspired who was murdered in Afghanistan.
1. The Awakening

Chapter 1:(Season 1) The Awakening

The place you live in is not real. Everything you see, everything you touch none of it is real. So what is real do you ask, you will only know if you come with me, find me I am waiting for you. . .

This morning when I woke up this was flashing on my computer screen over and over again. I couldn't get it to stop for some reason, well I don't know where they want me to find this person. So I just headed off to Compu College. I've been feeling kinda weird lately I really don't know what to think of anything anymore.

I was walking to school today and suddenly I had this weird vision I saw a machine with red lights all over the face of it. It was poking a large surgical needle into my head, then I came back and it was over everything was fine then I stopped running as I entered the school. Did I wake up. . . from this never ending dream?

Class was being strangely long today then my phone rang. . . I walked out of the room and took the call.

"Hello . . ." The voice on the other end was deep and unfamiliar. "They know what you're going through and they are coming for you, I can answer all your questions but you must trust me," it said.

"What, who is coming for me?"

"There's no time for q&a right now you have to get out. I'm waiting for you make it to the pay phone outside the school cafeteria."

"Ok." I hung up my phone and started to run toward the door.

As I ran down the hallway the door's ahead of me burst open and there was a large man in a suit standing there. He looked like an FBI agent he reached for his gun and I dashed around the corner. I heard several shots fired, covering my head I kept running until I hit the cafeteria. I pushed a girl out of the way and headed to the phone, it was ringing. I turned to look back as I picked up the phone and I was starring down the barrel of a gun. As soon as the phone hit my ear I opened my eyes and suddenly I was emerged in liquid and I could see the machine from my vision.

I pushed my way through a skin and took a deep breath after pulling the large tube out of my throat. I looked around all there was to see was these large pillars covered in red capsules each containing a human body, it was cold and I was covered in these strange cords and wires. There was a large connecting cable implanted in the back of my head. I heard this strange noise and felt an intense pain in my head as the cables shot out of my body. The capsule I was in suddenly started to drain and I fell into a large draining pipe. The last thing I remember was seeing a bright light until now.

I opened my eyes to see a large man standing over me.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Bailen and yes I am the one that contacted you this morning. Welcome to the real world."

I sat up, the room was dark and drab.

"If this is the real world . . . then where was I before?"

"Come with me I will explain everything to you in time." I stood up and followed him out the door. "Where are we?"

"This is my ship the Lokiren, it's a hovercraft." We stepped into a large room with what I assumed was the core of the ship. There were several people in the room. "This is the ships core it's how we broadcast our pirate signal and hack into the Matrix." I looked at him confused.

"The . . . Matrix?"

"Yes plain and simple the matrix is what you used to consider reality. It's what the machines created to imprison the human race."

"I wanna know more about all this, how do I know you're not some terrorist and that all this isn't a lie?" One of the other crewmen came up to me and looked me over.

"We can show you everything."

"Brandan this is Lane, Mason is the one at the helm. That's Thrash and he's our operator Jameson." Bailen introduced everyone.

"How can you show me?" Bailen looked at Lane.

"Hook us up." Lane guided me over to a seat by the broadcasting core. I sat down and they hooked my legs and arms up to the chair. They sat me back in the seat. "This is gonna feel a little strange." They then shoved a large needle into the hole where the connector cable was originally linked to my head.

I opened my eyes and Bailen and I were in a large white room.

"What is this place?" I asked looking around confused.

"This is what we call the construct program. It is our loading program, before we are jacked in to the matrix, this is where we go. You can load anything you want from here. Including weapons, clothing, and vehicles. You name it we got it here. This program is based on the same system as the matrix. One system built on another. The thing you must realize is that once inside the matrix the rules of the real world no longer apply. The matrix is one giant computer system and like the rules on a computer the rules here can be bent or even broken." Bailen explained.

"How can they be broken when everything seems so real?" I asked trying to take in all the information.

"All you have to do is realize one thing." I sat in silence waiting for him to finish. "That none of what you see here is real."

Bailen went on to explain to me the reason for the matrix and the rise of the machines. I would have never believed it if he didn't show me all of it in the construct program. The next few days I had to undergo several intense training sessions including protocols and combat training. They also explained to me about the agents. It will be hard but I know that I will be able to let go of what used to be reality. At least that was what I was told by Bailen . . . all it was, was a jump no big deal so what if I made it. I'm still only human.


	2. Reentry

Chapter 2: Re-entry

It had been awhile since they had freed me from the Matrix. They said that I wouldn't be ready for my first mission for awhile. I really wish that they could have freed some of my friends this world is so lonely maybe I can go back in by myself. The operator taught me how to use the hook up system on my own if I ever needed to. Maybe I'll wait till tonight when everyone is asleep.

I was sitting in the operator chair just staring at the code screen. The code was strange even though I was starting to get used to reading it. I was trying to watch my friend Isaiah he was just sleeping. I wish I could get him out I miss him a lot. He was my best friend. At least if I never see him again I can see him in the green as I have started to call it.

"It's hard letting go of all of your friends isn't it?" I turned around to see Mason standing in the door way.

"Yes." I said plainly.

"Your family. . ."

"Yes but when I think about it not really so much of my family. I mean I'll miss them as people and everything but technically I guess they weren't even my family, we're they? I mean I wasn't even born I was grown . . ." Mason glanced at the screen then looked at me.

"Who's he?" he asked.

"That's Isaiah he was my best friend. It's kinda funny really?"

"What's that?"

"The day you guys freed me I was supposed to go with him to see this new horror flick that was coming out. It had been a really long time since we had done anything together. Guess we'll never do anything again." I could feel myself getting emotional so before he could see I turned away to look at the screen.

"You may see him again it might be awhile but don't rule it out entirely."

"I'm not." I was quiet for several minutes just starring at Isaiah as he slept.

"Well I'll leave you two alone then I was just on my way to bed."

"Have a good sleep," I said not diverting my stare to see him walk out. I heard the door shut and I knew now was my chance to do what I felt I needed to do.

I set the broadcasting standards like Jameson had shown me and walked over to the chair. I sat down and strapped my legs in I made sure the loading screen was facing me and very carefully inserted the needle myself. The needle was something I didn't feel I would ever get used to. I slowly raised my hand and made sure that the settings were good, I hit load and suddenly I was in the warehouse. I loaded my Harley and it was next to me. My residual self-image was something I was proud of. My green lens glasses along with my leather coat, a white tank, and black carpenter pants I thought I looked pretty damn cool. I hopped on the Harley and took off on my way to Isaiah's house.

It was a short distance there and uneventful I passed a few cars and a cop car but nothing major. I pulled in the yard and shut off my bike, Isaiah's light was on in his kitchen so somebody heard me come in the yard obviously. I got off the bike and walked up to the door, as I got ready to knock I thought I heard something behind me, I turned to see nothing that stood out of the crowd of trees that waved in the slight wind. I turned back to the door and removed my glasses I knocked on the door. The door opened and he stood in front of me.

"Brandan is that you?" He said.

"Yeah it's me how you been?"

"I'm great come on in, where the hell have you been? I haven't seen you in almost two months." I kind of paused thinking of what I would tell him.

"Um I've been around I've just been keeping a low profile is all." I walked into the house and looked around, the kitchen was the same. Isaiah looked out the window.

"Man did you come here on a Harley?"

"Yeah, yeah I did." We walked into his room.

"Where the hell did you get it?"

"Let's just say some friends got it for me."

Isaiah is a very small built person he was about 5'6 and 140 lbs with brown eyes and hair.

I sat down on his bed and he just kinda looked at me for a minute; it was probably the way I was dressed.

"So how have you been?" I asked looking at him. His facial expression changed from that of excited to see me, to an uncomfortable worried look.

"Well. . ."

"What's wrong?"

"I've been great up until the last few weeks . . . these guys have been following me around lately, they look like some kind of special agents. I don't think they know that I see them lingering around me they're literally everywhere."

"Have you had any strange dreams lately?"

"None that really stick out." We sat and chatted for what seemed like hours even though I knew staying was dangerous I wasn't about to let the machines have my best friend I knew how to free him if I needed to.

By the time I was leaving, the sun was on its way up and Isaiah's mom was up and wondering around the house. I was standing on the doorstep saying goodbye.

"Well it was nice to see you again," he said.

"Ditto." Was my response I looked behind him, his mother was reaching for him and she seemed to be changing. I grabbed Isaiah by the hand.

"Look out!" As I pulled him out of the way his mother completely transformed into an agent. I pulled him out of the house and slammed the door.

"Was that one of the people you were talking about?"

"Yes!"

"Get on the bike!" The agent busted through the door and time seemed to slow down as I jumped into the air delivering a powerful kick knocking the agent back into the house momentarily. I hopped onto the bike and started the engine.

"Hang on tight." I blasted out of the yard on the bike and headed up the road and onto the highway.

It wasn't long after we hit the highway that there was several cop cars behind us.

"Brandan what's going on, what happened back there?"

"I'll explain everything later . . . if we live."

We raced down the highway as fast as the bike could carry us curving around cars and passing the transfer trucks. I could hear the sound of an AE.50 handgun behind me telling me there were several agents.

"Keep your head down!" I pulled out my choice handgun, the Gold Combat RL II, pointed back and opened fire on the closing cop car, hitting the driver. The car hit a sharp turn and crashed into the traffic exploding. I saw the turn off I was looking for and took it.

We pulled off into the warehouse.

"Come on I have some thing you need to take." I walked over to the pack that I left here at the warehouse and took out the small pill that would block the agents from getting into Isaiah's software. The pill kind of acted like a firewall.

"Here take this." I said passing him the pill. Isaiah looked at the pill in my hand. "Trust me it's ok." Isaiah grabbed the pill and quickly downed it. "I'm not gonna let them take you. . ."


	3. Stand Off

Chapter 3: Stand Off

"They're gonna be here any minute," I said.

I could here the police cars sirens off in the distance getting closer. Hopefully they wouldn't send in any of the agents for a while, I know I could handle the police but the agents were definitely a different story.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Isaiah. I looked at him for a few seconds, I pulled the gun out of my holster and passed it to him.

"Here take this and hide if they find you then don't hesitate to shoot ok." Isaiah nodded and ran behind a pile of crates as he ducked down I could hear the police pulling up. This was it my first real battle. . .

I took up a position at the door and waited for them to enter. As far as I knew there were only regular cops and no S.W.A.T. member so they probably wouldn't use any gas. The door opened and they rushed in the warehouse, they didn't even see me; this was gonna be easy, all I would need to do was focus.

"Hey guy's I'm over here," I said.

One of them turned to face me. Before he could react to me I propelled myself off the wall and delivered a kick to send him whirling through the air. I landed on my feet and tripped the one ahead of me and punched him sending him into the wall. To the left off me one of them had a gun pointed at me.

"Don't move or I'll shoot!"

I jumped into the air and kicked the gun knocking it out of his hand. I grabbed the gun off the ground and shot its owner. There was only two left now I jumped into the air and landed on the ground behind him. I delivered a round-house kick combo and he was swiftly dealt with. The last one fired off several rounds I ran up the wall to dodge and jumped into mid air. I now floated above him and quickly pulled out the gun I had acquired earlier and shot the man in the back.

I landed on the ground and looked around at the dealt with police force. This wasn't gonna be it but for now we were safe.

"Whew," I said as I realized that I had worked up a sweat. Isaiah came out of his hiding place and ran over to me.

"Are you ok?" he asked, "You were insane back there how did you do that?"

"I'm ok I'll explain everything to you later." I sat down on a near by crate and Isaiah sat down next to me.

"What are we waiting for?"

"I'm waiting for some one to wake up?" I realized after I got back here that we were completely trapped here until someone outside the matrix woke up and realized what was happening to get me out.

"So we just sit here and wait." I nodded at Isaiah.

"Yup." I had just remembered that I brought something for Isaiah. "Come here for a second." I got up and walked over to the pack I brought with me. Isaiah followed me over to it and I reached into it and pulled out some rebel clothing, glasses included. "Here put this on." I threw him the clothing. Isaiah went behind the crates to change. The clothing I gave him was just a regular leather jacket with a red dress shirt and black pants.

"What are these for?"

"Just so you'll fit in is all." Just then I heard another vehicle pull up outside.

"What was that?" asked Isaiah.

"Just hide and be quiet I'll take care of it."

I stood up and walked over to the door and ducked down beside it. This time it was probably agents I put my head back and closed my eyes trying to psych myself out for what was about to happen.

"Come on all you have to do is focus," I said to myself, "You can do this."

There was suddenly a loud crashing noise and an agent busted through the wall on the other side of me. I jumped to my feet and jumped to a reasonable distance.

"I've never seen you before," said the Agent, "Who are you?"

"Does it matter who I am? All that matters right now is the fact that I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Fool you are still only human."

I shot into the air as quick as possible and kicked the agent in the chest knocking him into the air. He landed on his feet and ran at me swinging his fists. He caught me in the side then in the face I managed to block a few of the face shots. I swung at him several times hitting him in the face then the chest and finally the head again. All was going good until he delivered an uppercut and flung me whirling into the air. I managed to land before I hit the wall. He came running at me again and I propelled myself off the wall delivering a blow to the head and knocking him into the wall opposite end of the warehouse. "

How did you like that? Ain't so tough now." The agent stood up and looked at me as he cracked his neck.

"You are more trouble than I thought." Suddenly the agent blasted at me at an incredible speed knocking me into the air. Before I could regain my composure in mid air he jumped up and hit me against a wall.

"Ah damn!" I let out a cry of pain as I quickly hit the ground with a loud thump.

"Brandan NO!" Isaiah jumped out from in behind the crates with my gun in his hand. "Take this you scum!" Shouted Isaiah as he fired the gun. The agent began dodging the bullets swiftly and easily until the clip was empty. The agent started to slowly walk towards Isaiah; he backed off to keep a distance between them at all times. "Brandan help me please." I stood up and focused as hard as I could to regain my composure. I slid off my jacket to make myself that much looser for movement.

"Isaiah run!" I yelled as I dashed at the agent.

I jumped and kicked the agent in the center of the back knocking him on the ground and seemingly breaking his neck. I stayed out of reach of the agent staring at it, waiting for it to move. Suddenly there was a flash of light and the agent turned into a S.W.A.T. member.

"That was close," said Isaiah. I still stared at the agent almost waiting for it to move.

"I did it. . . I did it," I whispered in amazement. NO one from the Lokiren had ever killed an agent before except Captain Bailen.

"We have to leave, now." I grabbed my coat off the ground and slid it back on. I hopped on the bike and started the engine. "Get on." Isaiah hopped on back and we sped off out of the warehouse.

"Where are we going now?" He asked.

"We're going to try a different location. We shouldn't stay in one spot for too long."

We were gonna go to the meeting place on the edge of the sewer system.


	4. A Way Out

Chapter 4: A Way Out

It had been almost an hour since we had been on the road and we should have been there by now.

"Where is this meeting place?" asked Isaiah.

"I don't know we should have been there by now." Suddenly my phone rang I picked up and Captain Bailen was on the other end.

"What the hell are you doing?" he said obviously angered.

"I have to save my friend I want you guys to help me free him."

"Oh really did you ever think that maybe going in as a group would have been a better idea. You should have at least been decent enough to ask first. Do you even know how to start the process?"

"Yes, I downloaded it from the ships computer I uploaded the program into his mind all you have to do is locate him for me."

"Go to the hotel I'm downloading it's location to you now. We'll meet you there."

"Ok." I hung up my phone and slid it in my pocket. "We're almost through this." I smiled at Isaiah and we kept going I took the turn off and we sped up to the small run down hotel.

"This place looks abandoned." said Isaiah.

"That's the idea."

I got off the bike and went inside Isaiah followed me in. He was right it was extremely run down. It was hard to believe that there was a working hard-line in here. We walked into room 109 and Lane, Mason, and Bailen quickly turned pointing their guns.

"It's me don't shoot." I covered my face and waited for the ok.

"Alright so this is the one we're here to save," said Mason as he walked up to Isaiah. "Ok come on." Isaiah looked at me almost scared.

"Just listen to them everything'll be fine." Ballard walked over to me.

"You have some explaining to do now come on. They'll take care of him." Suddenly the hard-line phone started to ring; Bailen picked it up and passed it to me. "It's for you." I took the phone and placed it to my ear.

I opened my eyes and I was back on the Lokiren still in my chair. Jameson disconnected me and I sat up.

"Boy are you crazy Captain Bailen is gonna tear a strip off you when he gets out of there." He said. Jameson sat back down at the operator's station. "Captain are you guys ready?" he spoke into the headset.

"Ready when you are. Start the locator signal now."

"Ok captain, starting the locator now." The main screen changed to that of the power plant fields and was scanning through the towers.

"How long should the system take to find him?"

"A couple of minutes if we're lucky. If we don't locate him in enough time then we may lose him. When we try to locate someone with our program the machines also begin to trace him and they can find him faster then we can. So what we have to do is wake him up before they re-align his software."

"Send me the exit," ordered Bailen, "I'll need to be there to pilot the ship." Jameson pulled Bailen out and he opened his eyes. I went over and disconnected him. Ballard sat up and looked at me.

"Come with me. I want you on the bridge." I nodded and followed him to the bridge.

Captain Bailen sat in the pilot's chair and I sat down next to him. Bailen put on the headset.

"Have you got the co-ordinates yet?"

"Yes I'm sending them to you now."

"Alright get everyone back and let's get going."

"I'm one step ahead of you. Take us away." The ship suddenly lifted up and we were in high-speed flight. We flew for several minutes and then we were suddenly on the surface hovering above the wasteland.

"Come on, come on," Bailen whispered to himself, "Have they discharged him yet?"

"Yes but we should just be able to make it if we deploy the grapple now."

"OK." There was suddenly a loud noise as the grapple dropped from the ship. "There he is." I couldn't see anything so I didn't know how he found him. The ship stopped in mid air for several seconds then started back on course again. "Bane come take the controls we're gonna need some fancy flying here soon I think."

Just then the proximity alert sounded.

"Shit, sentinels." Lane came and took the helm.

"Mason take Turret 1 and see if you can keep'em off me until I can find a decent place to use the E.M.P." I jumped up out of my seat and Mason took my place. I followed Captain Bailen down the tube to the cargo bay where Isaiah was.

"Hang on to something Captain." I heard from the headset. The ship took a huge turn and I almost fell. Just then the lights turned off and everything was quiet.

"E.M.P. armed and ready."

"Make sure you wait for them all to be in range." I could hear several loud clunks as the sentinels clung to the hall of the ship and began to cut away our armor.

"Now would be good." I said almost in a panic. There was a strange zapping sound and everything went quiet. The lights came back on and I walked over to Isaiah whose eyes were just opening. "Welcome to the real world my friend." I said smiling warmly at him.

"Where is this?" He said faintly.

"We'll explain everything to you later," said Captain Bailen.

I had a talk with Captain Bailen later on while he worked on getting Isaiah's body back to normal. As part of my punishment I would have to be the one to train Isaiah and he also punched me in the face. That was the worse punishment; I was actually looking forward to training him. I didn't get to tell him that I had killed an agent.


	5. Coming Home

Chapter 5: Coming Home

Isaiah had just finished his training a day ago and was almost ready for his first person to person battle session.

"Hey Brandan will I be ready to actually fight someone soon. The construct training programs are great and all but it's just not the same," said Isaiah. I walked over to the computer core and started to get two chairs ready.

"It's time." I looked at him and smiled.

"Saddle up buddy." Isaiah jumped into the seat and strapped himself in.

"Are we going into the matrix or the construct program again." I walked over to him and got his load screen ready.

"Construct program. Ok he's ready." I signaled Jameson who was at the operators station to load him in. I sat down in my chair and strapped myself in Jameson came over to me and plugged me in.

"Ready to go?" he asked me.

"Just hit the button." Jameson pushed the button and everything was ready to go.

I opened my eyes and we were in the construct program.

"All right Jameson load the speed and agility test system." As I spoke the program loaded and we were suddenly standing on top of a building.

"Alright show me how fast you can go. All you have to is get this flag," I held up a red and blue flag, "from me."

I smiled at him and dashed into action. I ran and jumped to the next building easily 100 feet away. Isaiah quickly followed me, if nothing else then he was extremely fast for a quote "newbie". He was right behind me as I just about got out of his reach I jumped into the air and landed behind him. I ran the other way and he quickly adjusted to follow I bounded off the building and fell toward the street. Isaiah was reluctant to jump off the building but slowly dived. On the way down I did several flips to help maintain my focus. I landed on the ground in a kneeling position sending a shockwave through the ground. I looked up and Isaiah was on his way down. I took off running and suddenly he landed right in front of me. I was startled and fell back dropping the flag.

"What's wrong did I scare you?" said Isaiah smiling at me as he picked up the flag. "I believe this is mine, is it not?"

"Hey man you won fair and square." I extended my hand and he helped me to my feet.

"Good job." I dusted myself off.

"Now time for the real fun stuff. Jameson it's time for the combat simulator." Our setting changed and we were in a room that resembled a dojo. "Are you scared yet?" I asked smiling.

"I don't think that's what I'm feeling." Isaiah took up a fighting stance. I did the same and beckoned to him with my main hand.

"When ever you're ready."

Isaiah came at me and started swinging his arms is all directions. I blocked his attacks easily and swiftly. I swung back just as quick and to my surprise I couldn't hit him, I needed to go faster I focused harder and swung even faster hitting him with a full combo of attacks. Isaiah jumped back and I followed him. Captain Bailen told me when your training someone you can't let up on them if they try to get back because in the Matrix they're not going to. I kept going and started to kick at him. Isaiah successfully blocked all of my kicks and came close to the wall. Isaiah jumped into the air propelled himself off the wall, much like I had done facing the agent. He managed to kick me and knock me back several feet. I jumped into the air and kicked several times he managed to block both of the attacks but I could tell he was at his limit with his focus. All I would need to do was focus a little harder and I could get him.

Time seemed to slow down as I lifted into the air, I struck him so hard that he flew into the air and slammed against the wall. He fell to the ground and held himself on one knee.

"Man what the hell was that?!" asked Isaiah surprised. He was still starring at the ground. "You're too fast I can't beat you. Not with moves like that, damn." I walked over to him and helped him up.

"If it makes you feel any better you did excellent, you definitely passed on technique and improvisational skills. Man I really had to try. You were about to kick my ass." He looked at me and smiled.

"I still think you're a better fighter than I am." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Maybe but your faster than I think I could ever be when it comes to agility." Just then the building we were in shook. "What was that?"

"I don't know whatever it was it isn't supposed to happen." Jameson's voice could suddenly be heard all around us.

"Sorry to interrupt guys but we got company. I'm pulling you out." Suddenly I opened my eyes and the ship was shaking Isaiah was sitting up looking around.

"What's wrong James?" I walked over to the operator's station and looked at the screen. The proximity alarm was showing on the screen.

"How many is there?" asked Isaiah.

"Too many." I went up the ladder to the main deck, where Mason, Lane, and Captain Bailen were watching the ship. We were flying fast through the tunnels of the real. In fact we were flying faster than we usually do running from sentinels. "What's the hurry?" I asked.

"We have to make it back to Zion to recharge we haven't got enough power left for the E.M.P." Explained Bailen.

"Then I take it we should man the gun turrets." Mason got up out of his seat.

"You got it kid. Follow me." Isaiah and I followed Mason to the Weapon's level of the ship.

"Alright all we have to do is keep them off the ship for fifteen minutes then we'll be in range of the main defense line." Mason armed all three turrets and jumped into number one.

"I'll take number two." Isaiah took the next one and I jumped into number three. I sat down and opened up the triggers, looked in the screen and started firing into the bunch of sentinels that were following us. The other two turrets were firing as well.

"Alright come get some." I shot several out of the air. Another began to close in on us.

"Man he's pretty fast can you get him?" It was Mason the com system was active so we could all talk back and forth.

"I'm trying but he is almost out of my view how about you Isaiah?"

"I got him I got him." The sentinel went flying past my screen in a puff of fire and smoke.

"Good shot kid. Let's try for the rest of them now." One by one we picked off the sentinels and more and more kept coming from nowhere.

"Man what the hell is going on here they just keep coming!" yelled Isaiah.

"Just shut up and keep firing!" yelled Mason, "We're almost home."

I could see the sentinels clinging to the hall and using their cutter lasers in my viewer.

"Brandan get that thing off me man," said Isaiah. I hadn't noticed that one of them had clung to Turret 2 and was beginning to cut through it.

"I got it hang on." I blasted the sentinel with my main gun and it blew up into a fireball and was quickly out of site.

"That was a close one guys keep on your feet," said Mason.

"There's way too many of them. Where are they coming from?" said Isaiah.

"This must have been a planned attack they must have been watching us and planning their attack," explained Mason. Just then about twenty sentinels clung to the hall out of no-where.

"Holy shit!" I yelled at the sight of so many sentinels, at this point it was looking impossible when suddenly the ship shook.

All the sentinels just suddenly went dead and everything was quiet. We heard the voice of a woman in our headsets.

"Welcome home Lokiren, we are glad to see you are all well." I let out a sigh of extreme relief and my hands fell to my sides. "That was close." The ship was captured by the magnetic field that kept us from hitting the defensive wall of Zion.


	6. The City of Zion

Chapter 6: The City of Zion

I awoke from my bed in the small room that I had been assigned we had been home for a day and were given some time to relax before our next venture out into the tunnels. Isaiah and I were in the same room as requested by both of us, there was no point in being alone in a room neither of us had anyone else. Captain Bailen was at a captain's meeting with Commander Locke for the next couple days they were discussing tactical matters and a new strategy to attack the machines I guess. Isaiah still slept in the bed next to me I starred at him for a few seconds. He looked so different from in the matrix. I was glad that Captain Bailen let me free him I really couldn't think of what I would've done if I had to be in this reality alone. It was good to be free and all but reality is so horrible I mean who wants to live in fear for everyday that we are alive. I got up out of the bed and stretched.

I looked around the small room very basic, washroom facilities and a small eating area was all we had. It was kind of like a bachelor apartment downtown Fredericton but a little more compact if that were possible. I went into the washroom for a few seconds and came back out. Isaiah was sitting up in the bed yawning and looked over at me.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked.

"Yes actually I didn't expect to sleep as well as I did. Sleep is so different in the real world from what it used to be."

"Your right I never really thought of it like that before." I got some clothing on and started to get ready to go out.

"I guess Captain Mifune' is giving a tour of the city to the new arrivals today Captain Bailen suggested that we should take it. I don't know I guess it would be something to do for a few hours." Isaiah got up out of bed and started to get dressed.

"Sounds good to me. When does it start?"

"Now that he didn't tell me. We'll just have to go ask someone." I opened the door to the room and stood in the doorway.

I looked outside at the huge pillar that went all the way up to what looked like the sky. The city was huge and it was all-underground. Zion is four kilometers underground; if I'm not mistaken it is directly under the Machine civilization 001. The walls of red rock seemed to shine with the light from the city's lights. I looked back inside at Isaiah.

"You ready to go?" He nodded and we stepped out into the city.

There were people everywhere in the street. An older women walked by us.

"Um excuse me Ma'am," said Isaiah, "Would you know where captain Mifune' is holding the tour?" The women smiled gently and held out small flower.

"His tour is starting from the temple at the bottom level it starts in about an hour so you have plenty of time to get down there. This flower is a gift to help you realize that the world we live in is not truly dead and can be revived once the machines are destroyed."

Isaiah took the flower from her and put in his pocket.

"Thank you, for everything."

We started to walk to one of the many elevators, passing many unfamiliar faces from the city even some from the fleet. I heard that the crew of the Neb was supposed to be around, I really wanted to meet Neo or The One as they called him. I really wanted to spar with someone who was supposed to be the greatest human ever. We stepped into the elevator and hit the down button to take us to the temple.

"This city is unlike anything I've ever seen before it's amazing," said Isaiah.

"Yes I know it's definitely a work of art." The elevator suddenly stopped and the door opened.

We could see a small crowd of people from the elevator doorway Captain Mifune' was talking to them. Most of them were very young there was only two that looked close to Isaiah's and my age and even they were young. We stepped out of the elevator and Mifune' stopped talking and looked at us.

"If you're here for the tour then you're still early but you're in the right place anyway." He beckoned us over with his hand.

We walked over and sat down on the ground with the other children.

"I feel weird sitting here with all these children," whispered Isaiah. One of the little girls looked at us funny then turned her attention back to Mifune'.

"I see you guys are a bit older than most of the others here."

"Yeah why is that? Are we the only teenagers that have been freed in the last month?"

"Actually yes. It is very rare for us to free someone much older than yourselves simply because younger minds are more willing to accept this reality. Older minds have a harder time letting go of the matrix because they are often set in their ways, while a child is still learning about the world." I looked at him kind of strangely.

"Have you ever fought inside the matrix?" He smiled warmly.

"No I was born in Zion I'm the captain of the guards here." I just nodded in acknowledgement.

"When does the tour start?" asked Isaiah. Mifune looked at his watch then looked at the people that had gathered.

"I guess this is all for today then. Looks like we're ready, let's go."

The tour we took lasted almost all day and we went from the bottom of the city to the top of the city. Touring the temple, the engineering level and even the shipyard. I saw that the Neb was docked so Neo was around here somewhere. Isaiah and I had gone back to the room where we were staying. The bed had a connecting system in it that could send us to a training program of our choice.

"Let's go into the agent training program. I wanna experiment on a few new tactics I've been thinking of," said Isaiah.

"Alright lay down I'll set us up. How many agents do you want?" I asked.

"Just one for now, and make sure you set it so he can't kill us alright." I nodded and smiled.

"I was kinda gonna do that." I plugged Isaiah in to the program then loaded myself in with the right modifications and we were set to go.


	7. Birth of Twin Element

Chapter 7: Birth of Twin Element

I entered the program and we were standing on top of a massive building. The agent program hadn't been loaded yet and Isaiah and I were getting ourselves ready for the fight.

"So what kind of strategy were you thinking of?" I asked, doing some stretches.

"Just follow my lead ok?" Isaiah stared straight ahead as if off in a daze. Just then the agent program was loaded and walls formed along the edge of the building. The agent straightened his tie and looked at us. "Here he comes." Isaiah whispered as the agent jumped into a run. The agent came within arms reach of him and Isaiah jumped into the air and jumped off the agents shoulders. I followed him into the air and focused myself into a high jump. Isaiah was just below me in mid air he looked up and nodded at me.

I turned to have my arms facing down and I grabbed Isaiah by the hands and grounded my feet. I flung him at the wall as hard as I could. Isaiah hit the wall, feet first and propelled himself off of the wall, he went flying at the agent and hit him in the chest with his hands. The agent was being pushed toward the wall when he got his bearings and grabbed Isaiah and through him into the air. I jumped and grabbed him with one hand, we did a couple of twists mid air then landed on our feet next to one another.

"Was that what you were talking about?" I asked breathing heavily.

"Yes, last night after you fell asleep I was thinking and I think if we both focus on each other we can increase our strength as an element inside the matrix." Just then the agent grabbed him and he was thrown mid-air.

The agent then jumped into the air and punched him to the ground. Isaiah got up and kicked the agent in the side then. It easily blocked his attack and grabbing his leg and head butting him.

"Brandan! Help me," he yelled. I ran over to him and swung at the agent he ducked and hit me in the gut. I head butted him and then uppercut him sending him through the air. Isaiah jumped in the air following him and kicked him even higher into the air. I jumped up using Isaiah as a wall grab to get level with the agent and hit him against the ground as hard as I could.

"Good let's try something else." Isaiah hit the ground just as I did, the agent was just starting to get up.

"Alright you go first remember the kick I showed that time in training," I yelled hoping he remembered.

Isaiah took two steps up the wall and propelled himself raising his leg to kick the agent in the face. His attack was not strong enough to knock the agent off his feet, immediately as Isaiah hit the ground I took into action doing the same thing only the blow I delivered was powerful enough to knock the agent to the ground. The agent grabbed both of us by the coats and threw us both against the wall. He rushed over and started punching us so fast I couldn't even see his hands move all I knew was that I could feel the pain. I regained my focus and grabbed the agent by the arm stopping his last punch, which would probably have been the worst. The agent looked at me and brought the other arm over and pinned me against the wall choking me. Isaiah regained his focus and tripped the agent so fast that before he hit the ground he was sent flying with a kick into a nearby pile of crates. Isaiah helped me to my feet.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine what about yourself?" I looked at him, he was bleeding from the mouth and breathing heavily.

"Hey man maybe we should stop, you look pretty beat up." Everything paused for a few minutes. "Do you really want to keep going?" Isaiah wiped his mouth off and looked at me realizing the pain he was in.

"No you're right let's stop."

The program ended and everything was done, Isaiah sat up and looked down at me. He had a small amount of blood on his face.

"You ok?" He looked at me for a few seconds and then took a breath.

"I'll be ok I think." He suddenly had the look of someone who was emotionally defenseless.

"Isaiah what's wrong?" I sat up and put my hand on his shoulder. He looked like he was getting ready to cry.

"I don't know I can feel pain for some strange reason."

"The program is just like the matrix, it tells your mind you're in pain and your mind makes it real, remember?"

"Yes but the pain is different I think there is something wrong somewhere Brandan. Can you take me to the infirmary?"

We stood up and Isaiah grabbed the back of his head and yelled out in pain. I grabbed him to his feet and rushed him to the hospital on our level.

"Aaahhh!" yelled Isaiah as we walked through the door of the hospital.

"Can I get some help here please!" I said frustrated. One of the nurses rushed over to us and helped me carry Isaiah.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know we just got out of a battle program and he said he could feel a strange pain then when we stood up he grabbed the back of his head." The nurse looked at the back of his head.

"He's bleeding from the connector it's been destabilized, he'll need surgery immediately." Several doctors came out and helped him to the operating room.

"Brandan don't leave me," he yelled back.

"I'm not going anywhere I'll be here."

There was an older man sitting in the corner of the waiting room I went and sat down a few seats away to wait for Isaiah. He mumbled something that I couldn't really make out.

"What was that did you say something?" I asked as politely as possible.

"I said you god damn pod bourns get all the attention. The rest of us need attention too you know. I've watched children cry because you guys always get treated first," he said angrily.

"What?" I stood up, this was new to me, I was never warned that this type of prejudice existed. "We're fighting for your existence old man. Without each other we can't exist so get used to it." A large man came from the door behind the reception desk.

"You two cut it out." I sat back down in my chair and glanced at the old man.

"I've made my point, I'm not here to start trouble." The man nodded at me and smiled.

"All right then." The man turned and walked back to his post. The old man cut his eyes at me and turned away. I sat in the waiting room for several hours watching as people came and went.

I dozed off for a few hours and opened my eyes to see Isaiah standing at the reception desk. His neck was bandaged and the bandage had blood spots on the back of it. I slowly rose to my feet and walked up behind him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey are you alright now?" I asked sounding obviously tired.

"He'll be fine he just has to let it heal for a few days. When are you do back on your ship anyway?" asked the nurse.

"Honestly I'm not really sure we were gonna be told some time tomorrow."

"What ship?" The nurse looked up at me and smiled.

"The Lokiren." Isaiah spoke softly. He was still tired from the operation and the anesthetics they must have used.

"You guys aren't due to leave dock for another two days so you should be ready to go by then just stay unplugged for the next few days, ok?" I put my arm around him and give him a small squeeze.

"I'll make sure he's ok," I said. Isaiah looked at me and smiled then we walked out of the hospital.

"Let's get you back home." I helped Isaiah all the way home and we went to sleep.


	8. Lokiren Destroyed, Reassigned

Chapter 8: Lokiren Destroyed, Reassigned

I woke up to the sound of an alarm, Isaiah was nowhere to be found. I jumped up out of bed and got dressed I hurried out into the city and looked up. Apparently a group of sentinels had broken through the barrier that protected the city. There were two ships air born, the Lokiren and the Logos they were fighting off the sentinels with their gun turrets. They couldn't use the EMP's inside the city because it would destroy all the machinery. The infantry groups had been called in and were firing off several rockets.

"Brandan." I heard from behind and I turned to see Isaiah running toward me from the neighboring room.

"What's going on around here?" I looked at what was happening and then looked back to him.

"I don't know other than what I see." We watched the battle from below, we noticed that the sentinels were focusing their attacks on the Lokiren with several stuck to the outer hall of the ship using their cutting lasers.

Pieces of the ship began to fall down into the city. I quickly pushed Isaiah to the ground and jumped out of the way of a falling hover engine. It crashed to the ground only a few feet away from us.

"Whoa that was really close," said Isaiah.

"Are you alright?" I helped him off the ground and looked up at the ship.

"They're not gonna make it? They need more help up there." Suddenly the gates to the city opened up and the Lokiren steered toward the opening and headed on the way out.

"What are they doing?" asked Isaiah.

"They're leading the force out of the city but they'll be destroyed. They can't even use the E.M.P. anymore. I don't think they'll have enough power left because they would have been in the midst of charging when they attacked." Isaiah looked up at them with tears in his eyes.

"What is he doing they'll all be killed," he yelled.

Morpheus captain of the Nebechainazzar was in earshot of us. He walked over and put his hand on Isaiah's shoulder.

"He is doing what he believes he has to. The city depends on him," explained Morpheus.

The Lokiren cleared the dock gate and they began to close, very shortly after there was the sound of an explosion and the ground shook. Tears came to my eyes as I realized that everyone on the ship was probably dead.

Several days had passed and several search parties had been sent out and came back with nothing. We were sitting infront of the high counsel of Zion We were discussing our reassignment to either a new ship or a ship of our own. They were talking about splitting us up.

"No, I said we're not separating it doesn't matter. Trust me we work well together any captain will appreciate us together over apart," I pleaded.

"Well unfortunately you really don't have a choice, the fact is we will place you each where we think is best for you," said the Highest council-women. I sighed in disgust at the women and Commander Locke stepped over to me.

"You will respect the authority of the people of this room pod born or you will never set foot on any ship again is that clear?" Just then Neo walked in the room unannounced.

"If I can't stay with Isaiah on another ship then give me my own ship so I can stay with him." Commander Locke laughed out loud.

"Young one what makes you think it is that easy to acquire your own ship, it takes several years of training inside and out of the matrix to be given the rank of captain," said a council member. I looked over at Neo then the counsel.

"Would you give him a ship if he wanted to have one?" There was a short pause.

"Of course you would he is "the one".

"Well I may be a little cocky in saying this but I believe that Isaiah and myself would be a challenge to even Neo, Hell I've already killed an Agent on my own and the two of us are better then just me alone." Neo looked at me the counsel was in shock at my nerve, I looked back at him not flinching.

"You speak very bravely but to defeat an agent is not much of a feat compared to defeating the one. If you truly believe that you can challenge the one then prove your boasting is true. Neo will you agree to a sparing match with him?" asked the council. Neo smiled and nodded his head then looked at me.

"If I truly find them a challenge they deserve there own ship and crew."

"Then it is settled you will spare tomorrow afternoon in the temple's viewing port." I nodded to Neo and walked out.

"Come on Isaiah we should go practice this is going to be a fun one I think."

Isaiah followed me out into the city and then to our room.

"Are you crazy?" he asked me. He sat on the bed and looked at me. "There's no way we can possibly beat him." I sat next to him and looked at the floor.

"We don't need to win we just need to show them that we mean business and we deserve to be taken seriously. I know that if we work together and believe we can do it I know we will." I looked at Isaiah. "Just think of what's at stake if we don't do what we need to, we will have to separate and may not get to see each other." Isaiah looked up at me.

"You'd better go practice then. . ."

I laid down into the pod and Isaiah hooked me into the system. What kind of fighting could possibly get me ready for the one.

"Swarms," I said to myself. Isaiah looked at me and smiled as I closed my eyes. I reopened my eyes and I was inside the main training program I looked around there was several swat members walking toward me at a increasingly hasting pace. Two came within kicking distance and I jump into bullet time doing a kick off of one and jumping into the other. The others suddenly started running at me I swung my fist at several in front at the same time kicking behind me and connecting to the faces of at least two. I planned on not letting them get close enough to grab me. I jumped off the chest of one that was in reach and propelled myself off him and into the air I pulled out my guns and fired multiple rounds into the swarm below. I landed back into them and swung everyway I could keeping them off me. One managed to get behind me and grab me I flipped him over and threw him into the group ahead of me. I jumped into the air and did a round house knocking five to the ground. I was starting to feel the effects of the battle as I began to tire I jumped into the air and managed to grab a hold of a wire that was above me. All the swat members looked up at me and reached for their weapons.

"Holy shit you gave them guns!" I swung around on the wire and jumped off it not really knowing where to go except up and over the building. I managed to make it on top of the building and landed, resting momentarily. I took out my phone and called Isaiah.

"You know you could of warned me that you were giving them guns man. Are you trying to get me killed?"

"Don't worry they were only shooting rubber bullets I was trying to help you practice your agility."

"Thanks for the thought but next time warn me ok?"

"Ok man I'm sorry."

"See you when I get out." I hung up my phone and went to the edge of the building and looked over.

They were waiting for me I jumped down and kept my back to the wall of the building. I got into a fighting position and they started to run at me. I propelled myself off the wall and kicked one sending him hurling into the swarm knocking several down on his way. I fought my hardest and was shortly over-run with more than a hundred swat, I wasn't giving up unless they killed me and that wasn't gonna happen with this being a training program. I jumped and kicked both ways in the air knocking two away from me, I landed on the ground standing on my hands I started to whirl around in a whirlwind kick keeping the swarm away from me. I was starting to loose my focus and I was getting tired.

Quitting was beginning to look like a good option. I jumped up on the roof with my last bit of focus and took out my phone.

"Isaiah give me a few minutes to rest and load the Agent Escape training program, ok."

"Alright." The scenery changed to that of the construct program. I got down on one knee and let out a breath.

"That's the longest I've ever focused in a battle."

"Are you ready to run yet."

"What are you, crazy? I'm not that good isn't it almost your turn."

"Hey not quite yet. Are you ready for the run of your life?" I stood and shook my head slightly.

"Ready when you are. . . "

The construct program changed to the scenery of China Town. I looked to the side to see three agents un-holstering their guns. I took off and ran to the corner and dashed around as the gun shots of the AE.50 came from behind and hit the wall knocking chips of the wall to the ground. I took off running again and an agent walked through the brick wall beside me. He grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and threw me I focused and stopped myself in mid air and landed on my feet. I propelled myself off the wall and kicked him to the ground and continued to run. I could hear the gunshots behind and a bullet whipped by my face, I started to run along the wall making it more difficult for them to hit me. An agent stepped around the corner and aimed his gun I flipped off the wall and drew my gun firing at him while I was upside down. I fired about six rounds and yes he dodged but it gave me enough time to get out of his line of fire. I continued to run and did a high jump right over him and around the corner. A door opened to my right and an agent was running toward me from dead ahead pointing his gun. I ran into the open door and knocked over a pedestrian the door led to a small alley-way. If they confronted me in here then I wouldn't be able to get around them. I ran as quick as I could and came around a corner to be staring down the barrel of an AE.50 the simulation ended and went back to the construct program.

"Guess what . . . you died," said Isaiah.

"Well gee you think I thought I just got shot in the face. Send me to the roof tops in the agent escape thing ok."

"Your the boss."

The simulator reloaded and I was standing on a rooftop in the city with an agent less than twenty feet from me. I ran and dived off the nearest ledge to the next rooftop soon after the gunshots fired. I landed and rolled to my feet and dashed for a nearby ladder several bullets hit the wall right next to me as I went up the ladder. I made it up the ladder and ran acrossed the rooftop to a door kicking it open and jumping down the stair well it connected to and out the window at the other end. I jumped the window and realized it was farther than I had previously thought. If I didn't think of something soon I was going to hit the wall I focused as hard as I could and hit the wall with my feet and ran up the building. I made it to the roof and knelt to the ground as I landed from the initial jump. I panted,

"That was close."

I got back to my feet and several bullets flew passed me. I started to run again and ran across a tin roof top with three agents after me, I jumped into the air with my limbs flailing and hit the other roof top I heard a phone ringing I had almost made it through the training program. I ran toward the noise and an agent fell right infront of me.

"You won't stop me now." I back flipped away from him and then charged at him. I jumped and kicked at his face he blocked it but moved one step closer to the edge of the building all I had to do was get him to fall and I was home free. I hit the ground infront of him and focused my hardest to deliver a devastating uppercut knocking him into the air. I jump kicked him off the edge and headed over to grab the phone. I picked up and opened my eyes.


	9. Training

Chapter 9: Training

I opened my eyes and sat up in the bed.

"Your turn now are you ready?" Isaiah looked at me and smiled and walked over to the bed and sat down next to me.

"Don't be too hard on me ok. Start me off slow and work into it." He said to me as he laid down on the bed in my place. I stood up and walked over to the machine monitor.

"I can't go to easy on you Neo isn't gonna be that's for sure." I turned on the computer and sat down at the monitors desk I put on the operators head-set.

"Lay down and get ready to fight for your life, I'll send in three at a time you should be able to handle that they will all be set to the hardest mode though." Isaiah laid down on the bed and closed his eyes and I loaded him into the construct program.

Isaiah looked around and checked his gun. He put on his glasses and then looked up. He had done a lot of work on his own residual self-image. The silver rimmed glasses along with a short tight shining leather coat with black leather pants and white bandanna around his head and a white tank top on.

"I'm ready when ever you are buddy bring it on."

I loaded the program and started off with some army soldiers special trained and sent them in. Isaiah watched as they all approached him. Isaiah focused and then jumped into the air with his arms spread out away from him and his legs both up under him. The first one came with in range of him and he thrust his foot out and sent the guy into the wall leaving an imprint and he was stuck in the wall. He landed back on the ground and whipped around hitting the next one with his fist breaking his neck. Two more soldiers showed up to replace the two he had defeated. The third one he got rid of using a kicking combo that I had taught him awhile ago. The fourth one punched him in the back and he jumped forward away from them, Isaiah jumped and did a round house kick in the air knocking the soldier in the face. It sent the soldier twirling in the air. Number five snuck up behind him and kicked him in the shins.

"That seemed kinda cheap wasn't it."

Isaiah turned around and punched him in the gut, when he bent over Isaiah uppercutted him with his elbow and sent him flipping through the air and into a distant wall. Again as they fell they were replaced with others. The sixth was met with a powerful kick in the face twisting his head around and breaking his neck. Number seven ran up and was ready to fight, before he could react he was met with a speedy fist combo knocking him to the ground. Number 8 came from behind, Isaiah jumped into the air doing a handstand on his head, twisting his legs and breaking the soldiers neck. He hit the ground standing right in behind the next guard quickly grabbing him and breaking his neck.

"Alright up the difficulty level send me an agent every three I kill ok," he yelled.

An agent came running at him from out of nowhere and he jumped into the air in an attempt to jump over him. The agent grabbed his foot and slammed him into the ground. Isaiah quickly recovered and got to his feet immediately attacking the agent with full force delivering several combo's. The agent blocked most of the attacks but he managed to get a few hits in. He jumped to the air again and kicked the agent in the head as he went to the other side. Isaiah was clearly focusing his hardest when he finally lost it and hit the ground hard. The agent took full advantage of the opportunity and delivered a painful combo hitting him in the face then the chest and finally tripping him and punching him in mid air sending him flying into the wall. It was almost hard to watch, the agent stopped and stood starring, just like the real thing he smirked and fixed his tie. Isaiah got up and recovered his balance and wiped his face.

"Now I'm pissed."

The agent came at him again, Isaiah jumped off the wall and jumped into the air, time began to slow down and he kicked the agent ten times in the head in just over a second, the last and final kick knocked the agents head back far enough that it broke. Isaiah hit the ground and began panting.

"Holy crap," he said under his breath. I froze the program momentarily to let him recover. I called his phone.

"Are you ok, you look like your having quite a rough time in there?"

"Yeah I should be ok. I'm gonna be really soar later mind you. But for now I'm good."

"Did you wanna keep going? Or do you wanna go to something else?"

"Yeah I'm done with this for now I forgot how hard the agents are in this difficulty level. Let's try the roof tops."

The surroundings changed back to that of the construct program and then the roof top program loaded, Isaiah was standing on the tallest roof in the city.

"Why so high up you couldn't put me closer?"

"Heads up here they come." Suddenly a bullet flew by his head and he bounded from the building rooftop to the edge of the next. The agent landed a few feet infront of him and pointed his gun ready to fire. As the gun went off Isaiah did a flip around the bullet and passed the agent and again to the next building closely followed by three agents. He dashed across the building at his fastest and was off the rooftop before the agents could even take out their guns.

"Anything that involves speed I'm set they can't catch me haha!" Isaiah laughed in mid air. He hit the ground and as he landed an agent was right in front of him and kicked him backwards off the building. As he fell Isaiah stared up and focused his best to get himself upright, he grabbed a horizontal flagpole and flipped around on it and sent himself flying back up toward the rooftop. The agent at the top had his back turned to the edge and Isaiah kicked him with all his might as he got to the edge and landed sending the agent tumbling forward.

He continued to run he could see the building that the phone was in and he was almost there. He dived and rolled to the next rooftop and the agents closely followed him their guns sending bullet after bullet at him.

"Almost there come on." Isaiah pulled out his gun and focused as he jumped backwards facing the agents and opened fire of course the agents dodged the bullets but the point was that in order to dodge they would have to stop running buying him that much more time. Before Isaiah hit the ground he felt something stick in his back, the program suddenly ended, Isaiah hadn't realized there was one behind him. He was back inside the construct program.

"Damn it I almost made it, I can't believe I fucked up there." Isaiah threw his glasses on the floor.

"Hey man calm down you did fine I didn't even realize that agent was there either did you want to try again or are you done for a bit?" I asked.

"I think I'm done for now man, let's just go to bed."

I shut down the program and Isaiah sat up in the bed.

"That was great, how do you think we'll do against him tomorrow?" asked Isaiah. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Well we're gonna loose there is no way around that, but how we loose is what matters I think we will do ok. Remember I will be there with you so don't worry. We're gonna do this together." I stood up and got in the bed and covered up. Isaiah lied down next to me.

"Man all I can say is when we get our own ship I know exactly who I'm going to go looking for as my crew," I said closing my eyes.

"Who?" Isaiah whispered.

"I'm gonna start with getting my cousins out of there, well they used to be my cousins, my friend Colin and his girlfriend Saba, that's for sure, and my friend Tabatha. I can't wait to free them."

"Me either. We should wake up early so we can train a bit before the fight."

"You're right we'll get up at eight." Isaiah closed his eyes and we both went to sleep, tomorrow was going to be rough.

I woke up through the night and got up out of bed quietly so I would not wake Isaiah and walked out into the city. I walked out and leaned over the railing looking down over the city.

"It's a nice view huh?" I heard from behind. I turned around to see Morpheus standing behind me.

"Where did you come from?" I said surprised.

"I, like you, was just out for a walk, and like you who are most likely looking for someone to talk to. Are you anxious about the fight tomorrow?"

I lowered my head and turned to look over the edge of the railing again.

"Yes I think that's why I can't sleep, I can't wait to get up there and prove myself to the counsel members."

"Yes it will take a great deal to do, that I know myself, the counsel is wise and will not trust just anyone with the responsibility of commanding a ship. You are aware it is not easy, correct?"

"Yes I am aware of that but I am also prepared to do what I can to be aloud to do it." Morpheus smiled at me and walked over to the ledge to join me.

"And that is precisely what you will be marked on, your determination. Your want to aid in protecting humanity from the machines."

"I should be set, we're going to fight our best, Captain Bailen and the others would be proud, at least I like to think so."

"I'm sure he would be, he was very proud of you and how fast you were able to adapt to fighting within the matrix."

I was silent for several seconds silently saying a prayer for the crew of the Lokiren.

"I'll show the counsel I can take control of a ship. I'm gonna blow them away." Morpheus turned to walk away.

"I'm glad to hear it I'll see you tomorrow you should get some rest." I turned to him before he could walk away.

"Thank you Morpheus."

"You're welcome." Morpheus quietly walked away from me and I went back to my room and closed the door.

I got back in bed and slept till the next morning when Isaiah got up out of bed.

"Brandan get up its time to train together," he said as I opened my eyes.

"I'm up, I'm up." I got up out of the bed and stretched I walked right over to the control panel.

"You ready?" I asked.

"When ever you are, lets go." Isaiah laid down in the training simulator.

"I'm loading the absolute hardest level its only gonna be two agents ok?"

"OK ok lets get this show on the road we haven't got all day." I hit the load sequence and then got on the training simulator next to Isaiah.

We were in the construct program and I brought up the in program control pad.

"We're gonna fight in the ball court are you ready?"

"I'm good to go when you are let's go." I hit the enter button on the pad and the construct program loaded the simulation. I looked and the agents had just loaded and were adjusting their ties. Isaiah and I looked at one another then sprung into action. We each ran at an agent and started to swing.

I swung high then low and at his mid section he blocked me, but I wouldn't give up yet. I round house kicked him and knocked him in the face, he went straight down and tripped me then kicked me sending me sliding across the floor. He ran at me and I brought myself to my feet then into the air I went delivering a blow to the stomach, he bent over from the blow and I gave him a powerful uppercut sending him hurling through the air. Isaiah noticed the agent in the air and ran at him doing a back flip kick in the air breaking the agents back. The agent vanished; I had the program make the second agent stronger once the other one was gone. It ran at Isaiah cracking him so hard he went flying at the wall, he stopped himself with his feet pushing against the wall and stopping himself from getting to badly damaged.

"Good going now lets get this guy."

I ran at the agent and swung at him, he grabbed my fist and threw me to the ground I focused and brought myself to a slide sliding right between the agents leg. Isaiah ran at the agent as fast as he could and swung his fist in an uppercut. His fist connected with the agents face, it would have broken his neck if I had not of changed the program. The agent recovered and kicked Isaiah with a powerful roundhouse kick, knocking him to the ground.

"Ah!"

I ran at the agent again striking him with all I had, hitting him in three places before he could respond. I kept going as hard as I could thinking of how good it was gonna be to take on Neo even just to get one hit in would be thrilling. Isaiah kicked him in the back and he bent forward into me I tripped him and kicked him along the ground.

"Alright twin element!"

I grabbed Isaiah by the hand, we both began to focus in sequence with each other and I threw him into the air. The agent had gotten to his feet and came running at me. He punched me sending me into the wall, I hit and fell to my knees. The agent stopped to fix his tie but before he could take another step toward me, Isaiah hit him with both feet on his head and smashed his face into the ground. Isaiah flipped off him after he had hit the ground.

"Yeah we got him!" Isaiah walked over to help me up.

"He's not done for yet."

"What! Brandan are you crazy why did you make him so strong?"

"Because we have to be ready for Neo and he is gonna be stronger then anything you can imagine. Look out!"

The agent had gotten right up behind Isaiah. I jumped into the air with my arms out and my legs up under me, Isaiah ducked and I kicked the agent with all my strength to knock it back several feet it was the best I had for my weakened state.

Isaiah rushed into action and began an onslaught of attacks using chops and punches to knock the agent away, giving me enough time to recover. I got to my feet and regained my focus I ran at the agent and began attacking with Isaiah even an agent shouldn't be able to fight off two of us. Together we went at him swinging left and right taking top and bottom all at once. Yet he still managed to block most of our attacks. The agent jumped in the air and kicked both of us away from him. I got close enough to him to grab him by the leg and hurl him into the wall. Isaiah used his speed to get close before he could attack us again and began punching him in the side so fast his hands became nothing but a blur, he finished the attack with a punch in the face and jumped away from him. The agent got up walked away from the wall and fixed his tie then just stopped and fell to the ground.

"Is he done?" asked Isaiah.

I got and walked over to the agent and suddenly the program ended and we were back in the construct program.

"Does that answer your question?" I turned and looked at him.

"Do you think we're ready Brandan?" I walked toward him.

"As ready as we'll ever be I think. . ."


	10. The One

Chapter 10: "The One"

Isaiah and I had finished training after a few more agent simulations if we weren't ready now we never would be. We were in the bottom of the city and people had already started to gather at the temple. Neo hadn't arrived yet but there were several other "bigger" people floating around. I had already seen Captain Niobe, Commander Locke, Morpheus, Link the operator of the Nebechenezzar,and Captain Mifune' among others. The counsel had all been seated and was being greeted. The screen on which the people would watch the fight had all been set up and the finishing touches were being put on now, I could see where the monitoring station was set up and the technicians were also double checking those as well. Isaiah and I stuck together in the large crowd of people and pushed our way over to the seating complex. Captain Niobe walked over to us.

"Good afternoon brave gentlemen," she said smiling, "I hope you are ready for what is about too happen." I returned her smile.

"As ready as we believe two people can be in preparing to battle "The One."

"Glad to here it, good luck from the crew of the Logos."

"Thank-you Captain Niobe, we will not disappoint you."

Isaiah was watching people walk by us they seemed to be starring at us. We could here this drum begin to play and we new it was time as Neo himself had entered the Temple. I could see the admiration in peoples faces as he walked by him he was truly their God. The masses parted as he walked toward the seating complex he finally made it through the hoards of people and stepped over to us. I nodded my head to him as he walked by and on up to his seat. We walked over and stood by our respected seats across from his, I looked over the city to see nothing but people the entire city had to be here to see this. The head of the counsel stood up on the rock formation above, everything was quiet as he began to speak.

"People of Zion, we are gathered here today to deem these two young men worthy of taking control of there own ship and giving them the right once again to fight in the war against the machine empire. We hope that they will pass the test and bid them good luck!"

The crowd cheered and we were instructed by the technicians to be seated and were one by one jacked in to the battle program.

I opened my eyes and Neo walked over to me just as Isaiah loaded in.

"Good luck," he said offering to shake my hand. I took his hand and gave him a firm grip hand shake I smiled at him.

"Same to you my friend." Neo smiled at me and walked to the other side of the arena, which was huge, it was almost like a football field.

"Begin when ever you are ready my friends."

We heard the counsel leader from outside. Neo took up a fighting stance and beckoned to us. Isaiah and I looked at each other and took off at Neo as fast as we could, both of us striking as fast as we could everything we did was met with a block. This much was expected, Neo easily blocked every punch, kick or swipe that we threw at him with great ease. I began to focus my hardest I hoped if I could get a hit in it would make him loose his focus and we would both be able to hit him at least once. Isaiah and I both began to focus in sync with one another doing the same attacks. Neo was surprised by our synchronized attacks and we lucked in landing a combo. Neo flew backwards under his own power and stopped for a second and looked at us. He smiled and retook his stance. Neo took to running and wanting to turn and run I jumped over him and landed behind him. He swung backwards hitting me in the back and sending me into a wall. He took a swing at Isaiah and he focused and ducked the attack luckily, he tried to kick Neo in the chest lifting up and passed him doing a complete flip. All this was happening and Neo hadn't even begun to focus yet. After blocking Isaiah's attack he did a roundhouse kick hitting him in the side and sending him flying into a wall. Neo began to focus and disappeared. I felt this pain in my back like I had been hit with a fist, Neo was moving so fast that he could not be seen with out focusing on him. I ran over to Isaiah and he stood up.

"Where the hell did he go?" he asked.

"Shh focus and you should be able to see him." I focused my hardest and could see him moving seemingly in slow motion he did a loop around the arena and then began to run right at us. Isaiah was suddenly lifted into the air and hurled to the other end of the arena. I knew that it was my turn next and as I focused I could see him reaching for me, I moved as fast as I could to grab his hand and hold on. I could see almost a look of shock in his eyes as I took hold of him. I smiled as I grabbed him and focused and began to attack with my feet while holding on to his hand. I kicked him several times in the side before he through me to the ground.

"Alright," he spoke quietly and calmly, "No more holding back."

Neo lifted into the air and re-took his stance I knew that it would not be long now. Neo moved at me so quick that I couldn't see him even focusing at my best he hit me and rammed me into a wall then he quickly began pummeling me his fists nothing but a blur. All the while Isaiah had regained his focus and gotten to his feet. He ran at Neo unsuspected and jumped into the air to start an attack when he suddenly froze in mid air unable to move. Neo hit me one last time and turned to Isaiah he lifted into the air bringing his fist back for an attack he punched Isaiah with a massive attack sending him flying at a wall. Isaiah managed to regain his focus in mid air and flipped his feet around to hit the wall and propels himself off of it. Isaiah went flying at Neo at the speed he was known for Neo went higher into the air and when Isaiah was under him he stomped him to the ground and pushed his face into the dirt. We now both lie on the ground exhausted and beaten beyond what we had ever been I could feel the blood drip from my mouth, and I was thinking about how much pain I was going be in once we got out of here and back to reality.

"Enough," we heard all around us. The battle was over, one by one they pulled us out of the training program.

I opened my eyes as they pulled the needle from my neck and sat forward in my seat. The crowd cheered and we were all freed from the battle program. I slowly got to my feet holding my stomach.

"Man reality sucks," I said quietly. Isaiah stood slowly, blood dripping from his mouth.

"Tell me about it." One of the technicians helped him to the edge of the stage and helped him sit down.

"City of Zion I ask you do you believe that these two young men are worthy of fighting for you in this ongoing war!!!" shouted out the head counselor.

The crowd let out one more collected cheer and we were in. The next day I had begun my Captain's training with the counsels full blessing and we were to be christened a new ship The Navras.


	11. Enter The Drivers

Chapter 11: Enter The Drivers

It had been several months since our battle with Neo and our training as a captain and as pilots for the ships was now completed, I had been assigned an operator and I decided I would not waste anytime freeing the others from the matrix. The operator was a good friend of Captain Ballard's and was more than willing to help the remainder of his crew, his name was Anthony Parker, we just called him Parker and he was one of the more refined operators in the fleet. We would start with freeing Tarra, my cousin, and Dan, her husband. I needed someone to be my driver within the matrix and I knew that Tarra would make the perfect hacker.

We were on board the Navras, flying through the tunnels of the real.

"Have you got a place for us to set down yet Isaiah?" Isaiah was sitting across from me at a holographic scanning device it showed a small group of sentinels then changed to depict a small cubby hole in the architectures of the tunnels.

"I'm still looking its so hard to find a place where there isn't gonna be a patrol of sentinels within the next few hours, the tunnels are crawling with them Captain. Just keep us away from them for a few more minutes I should have a place for you by then."

I looked back to the front of the ship and kept flying. I could see the baron wasteland that was once called civilization through the front glass of the ship. Nothing but the remainder of the sewer system and lots of old metal from god knows what. We flew in silence for several moments when I saw a place come up on Isaiah's screen.

"I found the perfect place I am sending you the location."

"Good work Isaiah."

I got the location in my navigation computer and took us there it was a very short distance away, we came to the spot which was somewhat lodged in the ceiling of the tunnels. We hovered up into the hole and engaged the magnetic locks that would lock us to the ceiling of the hole we were in. Parked, we went down to the broadcasting zone and started to get ready to enter the matrix.

"How close do you think you will be able to get us Parker?" I asked looking into the code monitor.

Parker was watching our candidates in the screen they were doing deliveries in there old Acura Integra, once we got in their view I knew how to get there attention.

"I can put you right where you want to be, just say the word," he answered.

"Put us at the parking garage at King St. I think that should be good enough."

Isaiah was getting the seats ready to load us in and sat down in his.

"Whenever your ready captain," he said as he laid back. Both Parker and I walked over to the seating complex I sat down and he proceeded to hook both of us in.

"I'll be on watch here call me if you need anything." Parker finished hooking us into the chairs and sat back down in his chair.

"Captain I'm gonna warn you now I am detecting heavy police activity in the area don't draw too much attention to yourselves ok."

"Thanks for the warning but just hit the damn switch already," I said getting rather impatient with him, having the large needle in my neck was not something I was fond of.

"You're the captain." Parker typed in the code and hit the final switch sending us to the Matrix and inside the construct program.

We were inside the construct program in front of the weapons table. I picked up my 96 Maxi Beretta, checked the clip and holstered it. Isaiah picked up his 92 edition Maxi Beretta and holstered it.

"I don't know why you check the clip it loads exactly the same every time," said Isaiah, smirking at me.

"All I can say is you never know. Parker upload the car when we enter the parking garage."

"Will do Captain here we go."

As we entered the Matrix everything pieced together from scratch around us. The car I had chosen, the 2002 Roush Mustang GT Premium Convertible black, pieced together between Isaiah and I. We each opened a door and got in with me in the drivers side I started up and we pulled out of the garage.

"Isaiah get Parker on the phone we need to know where they are?" Isaiah took out his phone and put it to his ear.

"Operator."

"Yeah, Parker where are they now?" asked Isaiah.

"They're parked up on Prospect St. at the Inn get there quick though they won't be there too long. The quickest way there is up York St."

"Ok." Isaiah put his phone back in his jacket.

"Head up York St. to the Inn on the hill."

"Ok." I turned up York and we were calmly driving among the traffic a cop car pulled up passed us. We sat back in the car and tried to look natural, they shortly pulled ahead of us. I took out my phone and called Parker.

"Operator."

"You know what I want to know are they on to us?"

"No I don't think so they haven't sent out a signal to call in back up." I put my phone back in my coat and kept driving we got to the top of the hill shortly and turned off into the parking lot for the hotel I saw Tarra in the car waiting for Dan and listening to music like they always were.

I pulled up behind them and got out of the car.

"Stay here," I said to Isaiah looking in the window. He nodded and I walked over to the window on Tarra's side of the car.

"Hey what's up?" I said casually. Her eyes widened in a smile obviously happy to see me.

"Hey where have you been?" she asked.

"I've been around to a few places, like my car?" I pointed to the car.

"Holy shit where'd you get that?" I smiled.

"I'll explain later when Dan comes out you guys should go off the air and follow us so we can catch up on a few things."

"Us who else is with you?" Tarra turned to get a view of the car and its occupant.

"Is that Isaiah?"

"Yeah, so you guys should follow me. Ok?" Tarra was quiet for a second.

"Yeah I'll tell him to when he comes out."

"Ok." I walked back to the car and hopped in.

"What's up?" asked Isaiah as I sat in the car.

"They're gonna follow us when he gets out," I said as I pulled up in the car next to them. I rolled down the window so I could talk to Tarra.

"I have some stuff to tell you and it's gonna be pretty out-landish but you have to trust me, I know Danny'll go along with it if you do." I spoke quietly to her as she glared at me kind of already knowing what I was talking about it I know from us monitoring her over the last few months that she was having the dreams that I had along with those came the same questions as well.

"I trust you and I think I know what your talking about," said Tarra.

"I'm going to answer the question that has been troubling you lately." Her look suddenly turned from happy to serious.

"You mean . . ."

"Yes , what is the Matrix." Dan walked out of the hotel carrying his pizza case and walked over to the car with a strange look on his face.

"What's going on?" he asked getting in the car.

"We're gonna follow Brandan he's gonna take us to a good talk spot."

"Ok, nice car where'd you get it?"

"You'll find out soon enough, just try to keep up ok." I cracked a smile and pulled away I knew he would be up for the challenge. I sped off and they shortly followed revving the engine.

We sped out of the parking lot and onto the street taking the exit to the main highway. We sped off down the highway weaving in and out of cars with them on our trail. I checked the speedometer we were flying at about 185km/h down the highway there wasn't a single cop in sight, luckily. We quickly made it to where we were going and pulled into an old hotel parking lot. I got out of my car and walked over to them Isaiah followed.

"Come on inside."

"Man where'd you learn to drive like that?" Dan asked with a big smile on his face.

"Wouldn't you like to know!" I laughed as Tarra got out of the car.

"Alright lets go." The four of us went inside the hotel and went to room 109 where our freedom equipment was located.

We walked into the room and I sat in my chair that was once Captain Bailen's and crossed my legs and folded my hands. Isaiah stood by my chair with his hand rested on the back and Tarra and Dan sat in the two chairs infront of us.

"Let me ask you something, have you ever felt like everything around you just isn't really there? When you're asleep does it feel like your more awake when you are dreaming?" Both of them sat silently for a second.

"Yes it has always been like that for me, the last few months have been the worse than ever though. Just about a week ago I had a dream that I was having heart surgery and it felt so real I just can't explain it," explained Tarra. Isaiah jumped into the air and flipped landing infront of her taking out a strange looking gun in mid-air, placing it to her chest he pulled the trigger. There was a suction noise and a metal bug was sucked out of her chest and placed in a glass capsule. The gun he pulled out was our debugging program inside the Matrix. Tarra let out a cry in fear and pain.

"What the hell is that?!" she asked startled by Isaiah's quick action.

"They had you bugged," said Isaiah plainly, "Don't worry though everything is ok now." Isaiah smiled and walked back over to my chair.

"I have another question for you." I took out four pills two red and two blue. "I am going to ask you to take one of these two pills. Take the blue one and you will wake up in your bed and believe what ever you want to believe. Take the red pill and I show how far down the rabbit hole really goes. Which one will you choose?" Dan looked at Tarra waiting for her to decide. Isaiah walked into the adjoining room. I stood up and walked over them opening my hand with the pills exposed to each of them. Tarra looked at them and then looked at Dan.

"I'm with you," Dan whispered, "whatever you want to do."

"Ok." Tarra nodded and took the red pill and Dan did the same, I smiled at them and walked toward the door to the other room.

"Come with me." They got up and followed me into the room where Isaiah had set up the equipment, I walked over to the main console and Isaiah helped them get seated and strapped in.

"The pill you took was part of a trace program we will use to find you in the outside world." I took out my phone and placed it to my ear. "Parker have you started the trace on them."

"I've started the tracker but I haven't traced two at the same time before I don't know if we will be able to get to them both."

"Trust me we'll get to them both," I hung up my phone, "You guys I am going to prepare you for this now, when you wake up it is going to probably be the most terrifying experience of your life. Your going to be confused and scarred but hopefully we will be able to get to you in short time. Isaiah go and get the ship ready for take off for when we need to get them," I took out my phone, "Parker I've got them I am sending you the location."

"Got them!" Suddenly Dan and Tarra disappeared.

"Alright Parker, get me outta here." The hard-line phone rang and I picked up.

I opened my eyes and Parker disconnected me.

"Ok, Isaiah fly like the wind," said Parker speaking into his headset.

"Captain both of them are on opposite ends of the fields I don't know if we'll make it to both of them." I got up out of my seat and headed over to the code screen and looked at the projection of the fields. I put a headset on and set the mouthpiece so I could speak to Isaiah.

"Take us to the closest of the two I'm coming up to help you." I could feel the ship lift off and start into heavy flight. I made my way up to the flight level and took the other controls.

"Captain do you think we'll make it to them both on time?"

"I don't know just keep flying we have to try." We flew for several of the longest minutes of my life.

"Captain we're right over Dan," said Parker from my headset.

"Drop the grapple!" The ship jolted as the grapple was deployed and reeled back in.

"We got him! GO GO GO!" The ship once again was in high speed flight as we flew to the other end of the fields to try to get to Tarra before it was too late. I took the main controls and pushed the throttle as hard as I could sending the ship into its fastest speed.

"Isaiah keep us on a steady course."

"I'm trying damn it I've never flown this fast before!" We flew threw the tunnels at an incredible speed I knew we were going to be getting some unwanted attention soon and we didn't have enough people to man the 5 gun turrets of the Navras.

"Are we almost there?" It had been several minutes since we left.

"Not quite Captain it'll be a few more minutes anyway."

Just then the proximity alarm sounded and the lights began to flash red.

"Come on baby, come on!" I said hoping that we could get to her before the sentinels got to us. "Isaiah take the main turret hit what you can just bide us some time. . ."

"Ok, I'm going." Isaiah got up and went to the weapons deck and I took full control of the ship.

I could see the sentinels on the holo-imager, Isaiah started the turret and began to shoot them down as fast as he could but he couldn't keep them all off us. Several had clung to the hall and began to cut through with their laser.

"We're over her! Drop the grapple and get us out of here, now!" I heard in my headset. I dropped the grapple and that was it we had her.

"Set down somewhere and use the E.M.P. hurry we've got a breach."

I got back into the main part of the sewers and set down. The E.M.P. was charged shortly, I cut the power to the rest of the ship and let the E.M.P. fly shorting out all the sentinels in range and leaving everything quiet.

"Is everyone ok?" I asked in the headset.

"We're fine Captain," said the crewmen.

"Tarra's got a mild case of hypothermia but other than that everyone is fine," said Parker. I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes rejoicing.

"Whew," I sighed and got up to go see the new members of my crew. I went down to the cargo bay and Tarra and Dan were both laying on the floor covered in a blanket Isaiah and Parker met me there and we took both of them to the medical bay of the ship where we would begin the muscle restructuring process.


	12. Teaching The New

Chapter 12: Teaching the New

Tarra and Dan had both been entirely restructured and they had completed the combat training. Now all that was left was to show them what the world was like now. Isaiah helped me hook them into the training program, and loaded them into the construct program, we then loaded me into the program.

"Now that you have been told what the matrix is and what its purpose is, I am going to tell you and show you what has become of the real world," I said to the two of them. "I would also like to introduce you to the construct program. It is our loading program we enter here before we hack into the Matrix. From here you can get anything you want including weapons, clothing even vehicles, Dan this is where I got that car you saw me in. But enough of that."

I flicked a switch that I held in my hand and the construct program changed to that of the real world. We were sitting atop a rock formation that was lodged in a cliff. The sky was black and the air cold the wind was blowing coldly, as I started to speak.

"This is what the surface of the earth looks like today, it is nothing but a waste land inhabited by the machines that hunt us every second we are alive in this seeming living hell. You might ask why someone would want to leave the matrix for this, but that is not the point, the point is we may live in this world but we are free and we live under our own control we now have choice."

Tarra looked around at the surroundings in shock at the sights.

"This may be all that's left but it is definitely worth fighting for freedom, god will bring humanity through this I believe," she said. Dan looked at the sky.

"Pretty shitty man. That's all I can say but where there is a will there is a way I guess."

"What is the point of these ships, if I may ask?" asked Tarra.

"We are here, pretty much as Zion and humanity's last offence against the machines the more people we free the more of a force Zion has. There are currently several plans of attack being devised and to be able to try one of them out, I need a bigger crew, you were my first choice of course Dan because of your skills behind the wheel. Tarra you because of course you are my cousin and I love you but I also know that given time you will be one of my most valuable hackers. We have all the information you need in the ships computer and ready to download but it takes a certain kind of person, which none of us fit." They both smiled at me.

"Where do I sign up?" asked Tarra.

"Isaiah will show you whenever your ready." Tarra snapped her fingers.

"Bring it foo," she laughed.

"Isaiah take her out and get her started I think I'm gonna show Danny how to make a car." I flicked the switch and we were back in the plain white of the construct program, Tarra disappeared as she was disconnected from the program.

"Alright Dan, design your dream car," I said pulling up my chair. Dan cracked a big smile and looked at me in my chair.

"You know what I want," Dan turned to face away from me, "Ok Parker, give me a red 2004 Acura Integra." The car appeared infront of him as he spoke. "With a 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder, 16 valve DOHC and variable valve and lift electronic control system with 195 horse power and after that it doesn't matter," Dan laughed, "When do I get my test drive." I stood up and hit a button on my switch, a vast empty highway loaded and we were ready to go.

"Let's go." We got in the car and Dan started the engine.

"Alright lets see what this baby can do!" Dan floored it and shifted from first to second and then to third in a few seconds. The tires were squealing the entire time, Dan shifted into fourth then quickly into fifth, I looked at the speedometer and we were going at least 240 clicks the needle wasn't registering anymore, the engine was revving at 8500 rpm. "Holy shit!" yelled Dan as he drove. Dan slowly lifted his foot off the gas and we began to slow down. He shifted down as we went and we were slowly being brought to a halt.

We got out of the car and I hit the switch returning the construct program to normal.

"Parker take us out of here." The car faded away as everything went black.

I opened my eyes and Parker pulled the connector out of my neck, I sat up. Dan was already sitting up in his chair and I got to my feet.

"The car you just created will be saved in the ships computer so you will be able to use it in the future," I said, "as for now I think you had a long day you should go rest up for a bit. I'm going to visit Tarra."

"Yeah your right I do feel kinda tired," said Dan, "I'll see you guys later." Dan went down to the bunking area to get some sleep and I went down to the information absorption area where we taught our crew everything.

I came down the stairs and Isaiah was sitting at a counsel with Tarra hooked into the information terminal.

"How is she coming along Isaiah?" I asked as I got to the bottom of the stairs. Isaiah turned around kind of startled at my voice.

"Oh, Brandan I was kinda caught up in what I was doing," he smiled, "I've given her practically all I can give her, well all we have anyway." I smiled back.

"Good is she ready for a test run?"

"I don't know ask her." Tarra's eyes opened and she sat up out of the information terminal.

"I'm ready when you are," she said confidently.

I sat in one of the terminals and we were loaded into the construct program in the training Dojo.

"Show me what you've got." We both took our fighting stances and I started toward her. Suddenly a green hacker screen came up in front of her she tapped in a code and suddenly there were multiple images of her. I attacked several of them, they disappeared as I struck them. Tarra bounded into the air away from me and a huge wall came up around her. I focused my hardest and began attacking the wall viciously, after several attacks the wall began to break and then shattered unexpectedly Tarra broke through from the other side and hit me away from her. Tarra stopped and just stood watching me in the air I whirled myself around and lunged at her from the air. I got within a foot of her and ran into an invisible barrier. She smiled at me and then an invisible bubble wrapped around me I couldn't move at all.

"Had enough?" She asked.

"Yeah but don't get too cocky I'm not quite as much of a challenge as an agent will be when you really enter the matrix."

"I know ," she said, "did you need me to let you out?" I smiled at her and broke through the bubble when focusing.

"I think I'm good. Isaiah get us out of here please."

"Aye, aye captain."

We were quickly brought back into the real world and all the training was over. Tonight we would sleep and Parker would take the nightshift as he began to prepare to free the next mind, Colin. . .


	13. Contemplating

Chapter 13: Contemplating

The next day I had awakened from my sleep at 6 a.m and went up to the main control room where Parker was sitting in the helm chair.

"Boring night I assume?" I said as he turned to face me.

"Hey you slept all night didn't you?"

"Good point. Did you start the tracking process on the next mind, like I asked you to?" Parker got up out of his seat and walked over to me.

"Colin is ready to be freed whenever you take him just like the others his mind is an exception, above the norm, he's gonna be a powerful addition to the crew."

"Yes his fighting skills are above normal even for one of the connected." I took a seat in the helm chair. "You can go get some sleep, everyone else should be asleep for awhile yet, I can take over for a bit." Parker walked to the doorway and turned back to me.

"Just so your aware Captain, I am able to go for days without sleep and still operate at my best if I need to." I looked back at him.

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you Parker." Parker turned away and left to go to bed.

I decided that I would go check on Colin to see how his day was going. I went to the broadcast zone and sat in the operator's chair and starred into the code. I hit a few commands and the code began to display Colin, he had just gotten out of bed. I was having a hard time thinking of how to get him out, if I should do it myself or if I should take in the whole crew which would be the easiest way, I had to decide. Colin started up his computer; I sent him a message that began to show across his screen.

"Colin if you look hard enough you will find the truth, when you find the truth you will find me." I typed to him; Colin looked strangely at the screen and then began to type something back.

"Is this some kind of dream? Where do I look to find this truth?"

"You must get to the middle of the bridge where the rails no longer lay. There you will meet a young stranger at 11pm, listen to what he has to tell you for it will be what guides you through these next trials." Colin looked at the screen one more time and shook his head almost in disbelief. He got up and proceeded to go about his daily routine. I got up and turned to see Tarra standing in the doorway.

"Good morning, how did you sleep?" I asked.

"Well it was ok, about as good a sleep you can get on a hard old mattress." She smiled and walked over to me and looked into the screen.

"So is this the next member of the crew of the Navras?"

"Yeah that's him I already sent him a notice, I decided I am just going to send Isaiah in to have a chat with him later on tonight."

"You know I really missed you when you were gone," said Tarra, "I miss a lot of the stuff we used to." I looked over my shoulder at her and smiled.

"I missed you all a lot too but there was nothing I could do to come see you until I was ready to free you or else there was a risk an agent would get into your software and then I would loose you."

"I understand and now that I think of it I would rather it this way. Do you remember when we used to sing in the car, I think that was my favorite memory too bad we can never do that again." I looked up at Tarra with a smile on my face.

"Why not, the construct program can do a lot of things, we could be on a huge stage infront of millions of people in a second."

"Really I'll have to keep that in mind when I get my vacation time," she laughed. Dan walked into the room and walked over to Tarra.

"Morning babe," he said greeting her with a kiss. Tarra kissed him back and hugged him.

"Good morning how did you sleep baby?" Dan shrugged his shoulders.

"Good enough."

The day passed us quietly by and it was now roughly nine' o'clock inside the matrix. Dan was sitting in the helmsman chair flying the ship through the tunnels quietly trying to avoid a swarm of sentinels that Isaiah had detected on the holographic scanner.

"How are we doing Isaiah?" Asked Dan.

"You're keeping us just out of their sensor range keep it up." Isaiah was watching a hunting squad of about ten sentinels on his scanner. I was sitting in the secondary controls of the ship helping Dan navigate and Tarra sat behind me.

"Oh god please let us get through this," Tarra prayed.

"Shh keep your voice down they can pick up on us talking as well, nothing unnecessary please," I warned. Tarra nodded her head and stayed quiet.

"Ok Dan, we're gonna try to get close enough to use the EMP to attack them with out being noticed," I whispered.

Dan nodded his head and concentrated deeper on the task at hand trying to bring us as close as he could to the swarm.

"Isaiah tell me when we are in range of all of them ok?"

"I will don't worry, we're in range of the two at the back of the swarm, now just a few minutes." I put the mouthpiece of my headset closer to my mouth.

"Parker charge the EMP." The red switch by my hand for the EMP began to light up more and more signaling that the EMP was almost charged and ready to fire.

"Captain we're in range of all of them now, find a place to set down." Dan looked around through the front glass of the ship and pointed to an area. The ship began to fly lower and lower and shortly set down in the spot. Everything went black as we cut the power to the ships systems; I flicked the switch releasing the EMP and assumed that was the end of it.

"Whew that was close," said Tarra as the ship came back to life.

"Close but not quite close enough now lets go see Colin."

Colin had just gotten off of work and walked out the door of the restaurant. He couldn't stop thinking of the message on his computer this morning, was it real, some kind of virus, or was he just really tired and seeing things. The computer worked fine after that had happened though so it was unlikely it was a virus. The place they had mentioned, "the bridge where the rails no longer lay", they had to be talking about the train bridge. Should he go or should he just pretend like none of it happened. He walked up King Street passed the Tannery and passed the coffee shops. He was all the way up to the corner of Regent and King when he had made his decision to go. For some reason the whole time he was walking he felt like someone was watching him. He turned down Regent Street to head toward the walking trail and headed for the bridge he was to meet this person at.

Meanwhile the Isaiah was just jacking into the matrix. I shoved the needle into his neck and his eyes squinted then went to normal again.

"Isaiah are you sure you're ready for this?" I asked.

"I'm sure, don't worry, all the training I have done, I can take care of myself." I nodded and smiled at him.

"You know what to tell him eh?"

"Yes Captain." I looked over at Parker then back to Isaiah.

"Hit the switch. God speed." Parker hit the switch sending Isaiah into the construct program.

Isaiah stood infront of the weapons table and picked up his weapon The Cougar Berretta and the construct began to load him into the parking garage. Isaiah was on top of the parking garage; he walked to the edge and looked over to the next building. He decided to stay atop the buildings as to not interact with the public too much. He jumped to the next building and ran across the rooftop to the edge and bounded up to the next building some kind of bank with a satellite on top of it. He ran across and jumped to the next, which was all the way across a road close to city hall, some kind of car rental. He ran across the next two buildings that happened to be close together then across the restaurant, which Colin worked at.

Isaiah realized that he was gonna be late for his meeting if he didn't hurry up. He knew that if he focused and just ran along the street he would be moving fast enough not to be seen by anyone. Isaiah began to focus as hard as he can and jumped to the sidewalk below, he broke into an amazing run and blasted up the street. Before he knew it he was right infront of the bridge he was to be at. He could see Colin at the other end of the trail and took the high road. He jumped to the upper part of the bridge and walked along the struts. Colin had ran up to the bridge and was walking right under Isaiah. Isaiah moved swiftly and quietly along the edge above Colin. They shortly came to the edge of the bridge, Colin went into the resting spot and sat on the bench looking out over the river.

Colin gazed across the river and looked around, no one was around the person he was supposed to meet was nowhere in sight. Suddenly Colin heard a thump behind him he stood and turned to face the direction the noise came from. He could see a small figure role to the other side of the meeting place.

"Who's there?" he said in a deep voice. Isaiah stepped around the corner and sat on the back of the bench not saying anything.

"Are you the one I am here to meet?" Colin asked. Isaiah looked at him then looked out across the water,

"Yeah I'm the one who you're here to meet." Colin sat back down on the bench and looked over at Isaiah.

"How did you get that message on my computer, are you a hacker?" Isaiah smiled and looked at Colin.

"No. Before I tell you anything I have something for you to take." Isaiah reached in his pocket and took out the same pill I gave him in the beginning. "Here." Isaiah passed him the pill and Colin looked at it in his hand.

"What's this for, I'm not into drugs man?"

"It's not a drug its more for my safety really. Brandan said you would probably resist." Colin's expression changed.

"Whoa did you say Brandan as in Brandan that has been missing for almost a year and a half." Isaiah laughed a little.

"Yeah that's the one."

"Man glad he's still alive where has he been anyway?"

"I can't tell you anything, are you gonna take the pill?" Colin looked at it again contemplating taking it.

"Well if Brandan said it is ok then I guess that is good enough to take it." Colin popped the pill in his mouth and quickly swallowed it.

"Ok," said Colin, "Now what is it you've come to tell me what is this truth that the person on the computer was talking about?" Isaiah got down to look over the edge of the bridge and leaned over a bit.

"I'm here to tell you that over the course of the next few days you are going to be contacted off and on by someone on the phone do what they tell you when they tell you, no questions asked. This person, with the help of several friends, is going to free your mind from the false reality you know as life."

"Whoa man, sounds like you're gonna kill me."

"Not at all actually when we free you you'll be more alive than ever." They heard a person walking along the bridge and Isaiah ducked down.

"Hey man what's wrong it's just an old man?"

Just then Isaiah's phone rang he took it from his coat and picked up.

"What is it?" Parker's voice was on the other end of the phone he was almost in a panic.

"Isaiah get the hell outta there, there's agent activity all around you!"

"What about Colin?"

"He'll be ok just go!"

Just as Isaiah put his phone away an agent stepped around the corner on either side of the resting spot blocking both exits.

"You're coming with us," said the one on the left. Colin stood up and backed away from the agent.

"What's going on, who are these guys?" Isaiah had a panic in his voice.

"If they get me they'll kill me, I have to get out of here somehow." Colin immediately jumped over to the closest agent and grabbed him in a haraigoshi judo throw and sent the agent over the bridge.

"Go hurry!"

Isaiah took the exit Colin provided and ran as fast as he could with the other agent hot on his trail. Isaiah focused his hardest to run at an incredible speed. The agent pulled out his gun and began firing at him. Several bullets flew past him as he ran Isaiah ran close to the wall and ran along it for several meters. Isaiah took out his phone and called the Navras.

"Where is the closest hard-line Parker!"

"It's close by, the corner of Regent and King."

"Good." Isaiah ran as hard as he could and flipped off the bridge once he reached the end. He ran down the small hill and an agent landed right infront of him, Isaiah fell backwards and landed on his back. He got back to his feet and took up a fighting stance.

"Foolish human, you will fail," said the agent taking his own fighting stance. The agent came at him and began to swing at him Isaiah dodged the attack and kicked the agent in the side apparently not hurting him. The agent hit Isaiah in the face flat hand knocking him down. Isaiah lied on the ground looking into the sky at the stars trying to think of a way to get away from the agent. The agent walked over and stood over him smiling as he reached down to pick him up. As the agent grabbed the scruff of his neck Isaiah quickly raised his gun and pointed it to his head.

"You didn't think you won did you?" Isaiah pulled the trigger and the bullet went through the agents head and out the other side, spraying blood. Isaiah jumped to his feet and began to run again taking a different route to the end of road.

He made it to the hard-line and slowly crept over to it. The phone started to ring and Isaiah ran and grabbed it placing it to his ear, successfully escaping.


	14. Decisions

Chapter 14: Decisions

I pulled the needle from Isaiah's neck and he sat up, his nose was bleeding slightly, he wiped his arm across his face.

"Man I almost didn't think I would make it out of there," said Isaiah. Tarra walked over and stood next to him.

"Are you ok, your bleeding?" she asked. Isaiah looked up at Tarra and then stood up.

"Yeah I'll be fine the bleeding will stop on its own soon." Isaiah looked at me. "I told him what you want he will be ready for when you call him." I smiled at him.

"Good work Isaiah, you have done well." I walked toward the door.

"Come on Dan we have to find a new place to broadcast from we have been in one spot too long." Dan followed me out the door with Tarra and Isaiah shortly behind. "Parker keep an eye on Colin."

We got to the bridge and took our chairs with Dan and I piloting, Isaiah on holographic and Tarra in the seat behind Dan watching the proximity alarm. Dan lifted the ship into the air slowly and we took off.

"Brandan I think we should head back to Zion for a recharge we only have enough power left to do the EMP one more time without using up the whole energy reserve," said Tarra.

"We'll be heading back once we get Colin back we should be fine for now don't worry." I went back to navigating the ship.

Back inside the matrix Colin was just starting on his way home. He began to wonder why the men that attacked Isaiah didn't bother with him at all, once Isaiah ran they followed him even though he threw one of them off the bridge. Colin continued his walk home, back the way he came. He had concluded that the people that attacked Isaiah were the reason he felt he was being watched. The stuff that Isaiah told him . . . free him from this reality? What other reality is there? Colin decided that he would run the rest of the way home and broke into a run. After about an hour of walking Colin was home and walked into his drive way and up the steps and into his house. His parents are long asleep and the house is completely dark, he walked into his room his computer screen was flashing black and green. He sat down infront of it and looked into it. He hit the monitor switch and it was off he got up and went to bed falling asleep quickly. That night he dreamed that he was on an operating table having the muscle in his arm repaired because he had severely damaged it in a Judo Tournament . . .

Back on the ship I was sitting in the operator's chair watching Colin in the code, everyone else had gone to sleep and the ship was completely dark to save on power. I watched as he tossed and turned in the midst of what was called a dream inside the matrix. They were bugging him I could tell and I was expecting it, they weren't just about to let him go knowing that we were after him. Getting him out was going to be extremely difficult if we weren't careful, this was going to take a lot of skill and planning. Suddenly I got a call from somewhere with in the matrix. I could hear the ringing inside the headset, I clicked the answer button on the keyboard.

"This is the Navras who is this?" The voice on the other end was one that I had never heard before.

"I bring you word from the Oracle you must come at once?"

"Ok!"

The Oracle till now was someone whom I had heard much about but never seen. I buzzed Parkers room and he arrived shortly as I was getting my chair ready for broadcast.

"What is it Captain?" he asked sitting in his chair and placing the headset on his head.

"The Oracle has contacted me for some reason," I said as I sat down, "It sounds urgent. I have never dealt with her before, strangely." Parker walked over to me and I laid my head back, he slid in the needle.

"Alright Captain. Go get'em?"

I loaded into the construct program and grabbed my gun.

"Send me to China Town, the coordinates are there already."

The program loaded and I was inside a small abandoned building, I walked out of the building and into an alley-way. I looked to the other end of the alley to see the crowded streets of China Town, I walked out into the streets and began to walk to the place I knew to go to. I walked through the crowd and passed by several of the small shops a lot of them were just normal shops others had skinned animals hanging in the window. I came to the building that I assumed I was to find the Oracle in. It was a medium sized Dojo I walked in and there was an Asian man inside sitting and sipping his tea at the back end of the Dojo. I stepped inside the door and closed it behind me I walked over to him and he looked up at me.

"Are you the Oracle?" He stood up and placed his hand one over the other resting infront of him.

"I am Seraph, guardian of the oracle, and I will take you too her, but first I must apologize?" he said in a strong Asian accent. I looked at him strangely.

"Apologize for what?"

"For this." Seraph jumped in the air seemingly in slow motion and kicked at me. I did a back flip away from the attack and took up a fighting stance. I jumped into action and attacked him with a chop and a fist combo then finished it with a kick, he successfully blocked most of my attacks. He began to attack back at me quickly almost seemingly matching me in strength and speed. I blocked his attacks and jumped into the air doing a powerful kick attack sending him into the air. He landed on his feet and stopped putting up his hand.

"Enough, you do not truly know someone until you fight them. Come with me."

Seraph walked over to the back door of the dojo and slid in a key." The door opened into a vast hallway of doors. "These doors lead all over the matrix," said Seraph. He walked over to one of the doors and opened it for me. "Remember the Oracle knows all, listen to her." I nodded to him and walked through the door and it led me to a park out house I was standing just outside it and I looked around. I seen nothing but some old women on a bench. She seen me and waved me over to her. I walked hastefully over to her.

"Do you know where the Oracle is?" I asked, blindly.

"Have a seat I am the Oracle." I hesitantly sat down.

"What is it you are here to tell me?" The Oracle smiled at me and nodded looking out at the nearby birds.

"I have brought you here to tell you that in the near future you will be faced with a choice. The choice you make will either save a member of your crew Brandan, or you will have to watch one of them die."

"How do you know this? I am not going to watch one of my crew die?"

"I know because I must know."

"Is there any way for me to avoid this situation?"

"No, once things have been set in motion there is no way for them to be set back."

I shook my head not wanting to believe what she was saying. I slowly stood up I was well ready to leave.

"Is that all ma'am, please forgive the way I am acting but this choice you speak of will not be an easy one, and it is definitely not easy to hear about." The Oracle smiled gently at me.

"I know Brandan, I understand your anger about this, it is the hardest choice that you will ever have to make as a captain. But for now that is all I have to tell you, you can leave through the Cathedral whenever you are ready." I bowed to the Oracle and walked toward the cathedral she pointed to. I walked in and there was a hard-line in plain view, it was ringing. I walked over and picked up.

I opened my eyes and sat up not saying anything.

"What did the Oracle say to you Captain?" asked Parker.

"Nothing that I can discuss with any of you at this time."

I stood up out of my seat and went to my sleeping quarters I sat on the bed and laid back with my eyes closed, thinking of what my next move should be. We still needed to get Colin out and into training, my mind asked with the thought of all the decisions I was going to have to make. . .


	15. Distractions

Chapter 15: Distractions

Colin woke up to his phone ringing next to his bed, he picked up and put the receiver to his ear. "Hello," he said. The voice on the other line was familiar, even though he hadn't heard it in awhile he knew it was Brandan.

"Colin the time for you to be free draws near and when the time comes it may be difficult for all of us."

"How will I know when it is time?"

"I will call you to warn you but if something should happen between now and then you may be contacted a lot sooner so just be ready."

"Ok." Colin hung up the phone, got up out of bed and wiped his eyes. The dream he had, he thought about it as he rubbed his arm, it did feel kind of different did what he dreamt actually happen? Colin got dressed for the day and left to go to work at the restaurant.

I watched as Colin went to work in the code screen after my call. They were watching him very closely; I could tell they were just waiting for us to try something. The police were lingering in the area and there was even a sign of S.W.A.T. activity. I got up and walked over to my unit and sat in the chair.

"You're not going in are you?" asked Parker. I shook my head.

"No, I'm just trying to think of our next move. He's being watched by everyone there is in there to make this that much more difficult." Isaiah was leaning against the wall next to the operator's station.

"We can all go in, you retrieve him the rest of us could create a few decent distractions to keep them busy," he said.

"I'm thinking about it," I paused for a second, "How about this," as I spoke Tarra and Dan walked in, " I go straight for him while you guys attack the police station, and the city hall building." Isaiah and Dan both smiled.

"I'll take the police station when do we go?" asked Isaiah.

"I think we can handle city hall," said Dan. I walked over to the operators screen.

"We launch at 1200, get ready to go guys." It would only be a few hours and we would be inside the matrix taking on our biggest plan as a crew yet. Dan and Tarra decided to kill the time in combat training and Isaiah went to his room to prepare himself mentally.

Colin looked at the clock, it read shortly after 11 a.m. that meant the lunch rush would start soon. His co-workers were running around preparing for the rush of people that would come at 12.

"Tabatha are you sure you're good to cut?" he asked. Tabatha nodded her head and walked over to the cutting line with knife in hand.

"Yeah I'm sure, don't worry," she reassured. The first group of people walked in the door and Trish, his manager, walked out to the dressing station next to Tabatha.

"Looks like you're on cash buddy." Colin nodded and stepped up to the cash awaiting the first customer.

"Trish I'm waiting for an important phone call and I may have to leave just to let you know." Trish just shrugged her shoulders.

"You gotta do what you gotta do." The first few customers went through the line and several more walked in to replace them, including one of the men that had been after Isaiah. Colin tried hard not to stare at him and the phone suddenly rang. Colin went to the back and picked up the phone.

"Colin it's me they have found you, you have to run to Officers Square I'll be waiting for you now go!"

Colin took off as fast as he could out through the back door, the agent realized he had run and took off after him. Colin ran and dashed down the alleyway shedding his apron and hat. He came through the alley way close to the police station where there was an explosion, he seen Isaiah jump in a little red car with Tarra and Dan and speed down the road. He heard a gun shot behind him and ran down the street on the sidewalk, the meeting place was in view and he could also see a black mustang parked close by.

A few minutes earlier Isaiah had just gotten in through the window to the police station. He had the bomb in his hand all he had to do was plant it and get the hell out. He was in the main hall of the police station he could hear people talking in one of the adjacent rooms. Isaiah walked up to the open doorway of the room and looked around the corner, there was two that he could see.

"So you're on the late shift again tomorrow huh?" said one of them.

"Yeah, yeah."

Isaiah flipped passed the door swiftly and un-noticed and kept moving with his back to the wall. He was almost where he needed to be, the main radio room. As he got closer to the room he could hear the noise of the officers radioing in.

"We got two unidentified persons in a red 2004 Acura Integra we need back up!"

Isaiah quickly glanced in and pulled away again. There were six in the room he would have to get rid of them before he could plant the bomb. Isaiah focused and ran into the room grabbing the first from behind and breaking his neck.

"Holy shit," said the next drawing his gun. Isaiah quickly kicked the gun out of his hand and then kicked him in the face knocking him down. Isaiah drew his gun and shot the next two. Number five took a swing at him and Isaiah quickly blocked him, jabbing him in the throat and upper cutting him. The other grabbed him from behind and held on, he elbowed him in the side and punched him in the face knocking him to the ground. All the police were laying on the ground either dead or knocked out, Isaiah walked over to the radio equipment and planted the bomb on the front of it. He set it for a minute and turned to run, there was an agent in the doorway. The bomb was ticking and Isaiah seemed trapped. He jumped in the air and attacked the agent knocking him out of the doorway focusing as hard as he could on his attacks. Isaiah managed to slip passed the agent who was in arms reach. He grabbed at him missing, Isaiah hurried toward the steps to the next floor to his exit and there were guns shots fired from behind. The bomb exploded and time seemed to slow down as Isaiah ran for the large window. He pulled out his own gun and shot the window out, running with the fire of the explosion just behind him. He bounded out the window to the next building over and rolled to the ground, he saw Colin run by as he looked up and Tarra and Dan pulled up infront of him, he got in the car.

During that time Tarra and Dan had just pulled up infront of City Hall.

"Ok, you ready babe?" asked Dan. Tarra smiled and nodded as they both got out of the car and went in the front door. Tarra walked up to the receptionist.

"Um excuse me Maam could you tell where I can go to use a computer in the building? I need to look up some information on the city for a University professor."

"Yes you could go to room sixteen." Tarra walked on and Dan followed her down the hall, they went up some steps. They walked into the room labeled 16 and luckily there was no one in the room, Dan closed the door behind them. Tarra sat down at one of the computers.

"Ok, all I have to do is get into the main server for the building." Tarra typed in a few commands and a computer list came up for the entire building. She clicked into the building power controller and hacked the server, she was now inside the main system. "Here goes."

She continued typing and got into the building systems setting off all the alarms and knocking out the main computer destroying all the vital information about the town. The alarm sounding several armed guards busted in through the door. Dan took out his gun and shot them upon entry.

"OK LET'S GO!" he yelled. Tarra got up out of her seat and they both ran down the hall. Gunshots came from behind and Tarra called up her hacker screen creating another wall behind them. They ran out the front door and jumped into the car. Dan started the engine and squealed out of the parking lot just as the Police Station exploded. He drove quickly around front just as Isaiah hit the ground and stopped the car. Isaiah jumped in the car and they sped down the street to officer's square.

Colin jumped over the fence that surrounded Officer Square and ran over to where Brandan was standing. Dan and Tarra pulled up and waved to us.

"Come on let's get out of here!" Dan yelled. I looked at Colin.

"Come on, run to the black Mustang!" I took off running with Colin close behind me and jumped in the drivers seat of the converted Mustang. Colin bounded into the back and I started the engine and led the way to the highway. I could here the sirens of multiple police cars behind us. I called Dan on my phone.

"Yeah!" He said as he picked up.

"I assume we got everybody!"

"Ah huh were good to go."

"Good just make sure you guys can keep those pigs off me ok I haven't got an extra man to fire."

"Ok see you at the hotel."

I put away my phone as we hit the highway. I began to speed up and pass by the traffic, which now zipped by me.

"Man what the hell is happening here?"

"We're freeing you today, it was a lot sooner than I had planned. I'll explain everything later." I could here the bullets hitting the car as I drove when suddenly a cop car exploded a distance behind us. "Good job guys." I said as I forced the pedal to the metal. The needle on the car was in the 300 range we were quickly loosing the police force.

Meanwhile back with Isaiah they weren't having as good of luck. There were police cars on either side of them. Tarra pulled out her handgun and was firing at the one on her side while Isaiah hung out the sunroof with an assault rifle firing at the others. Two cars exploded on the side and behind them.

"Good shooting keep it up man!" Isaiah reloaded his gun and began firing again.

"You need to speed up the mustang isn't even in sight anymore. Hurry up and loose these guys like we know you can do it, Dan."

Dan focused on his driving and then everything around them seemed to slow down as they whipped by them at an incredible speed. Isaiah blew up several of the cop cars by shooting at them with his rifle; they kept going and made it passed most of the police force.

Colin and I had just pulled up to the hotel and gone in. The air around us was silent all there was to be heard was the ticking of the car's engine after working so hard.

"Come on," I said as we walked into room 109. I gave him the red pill, him already having made the choice to be free and we went into the adjoining room. I guided him to the seat not saying a word, I took out the debugging program and stuck it to his arm.

"Hold still a second." I pulled the trigger and the bug they had placed in his arm was pulled out through his skin and quickly healed. The bug was safely contained in a glass casing, I emptied it on the ground and then stepped on it. I made sure Colin was securely hooked in and then went to the consol. My phone rang and I picked up.

"What is it Parker?"

"Captain, you can't start the trace program yet, you have to wait till the others get there."

"Where are they? Are they ok?"

"They're actually in pretty good shape, they are just turning off the highway now, they should be along in a few minutes."

"Ok, as soon as they pull in the yard start the trace program, contact them and tell them what is going on."

"Ok." I hung up my phone and sat in wait.

Dan's phone rang and he picked up.

"Talk to me!" he said into the phone.

"Yeah just to let you know the captain is waiting for you, we need you all there to start the tracing program so get your ass in gear!"

"Gotcha." Dan sped up slightly they were practically in the yard of the hotel already. They drove for another short distance and pulled into the driveway of the hotel.

"Ok, come on the Captain is waiting." They jumped out of the car and went into the building.

I had already started the tracing process as the others walked in.

"Glad you guys could make it," I said on sight.

"Hey it wasn't that long," said Tarra. The hard-line on the table began to ring.

"That's for you Dan, we need you out to pilot the ship after we get him. Hey Parker did you get him yet?"

"Got him!" Colin and Dan both disappeared and the phone began to ring again, Tarra smiled and picked up the phone.

"Ok Isaiah your next." The phone rang again and I picked up and passed the phone to him. The phone began to ring again. "Your quick at least." I picked up and put the phone to my ear.


	16. Return To Zion

Chapter 16: Return To Zion

I opened my eyes and Isaiah pulled out the jack.

"Ok everyone's out go, go, go." The ship quickly lifted into the air and took off in high-speed flight. Isaiah and I made our way up to the bridge while Tarra was preparing the medical bay for Colin.

"Parker tell me when we're over him," said Dan as we stepped into the bridge and took our stations. Isaiah sat at the holographic scanner and I took the seat of the co-pilot.

"Isaiah keep an eye on any sentinel squads in the area, after we pick up Colin we're heading straight to Zion." Isaiah nodded and his scanner activated as he started to scan the area.

"Captain I've got a lot of activity in the area," said Isaiah, "they are already heading for us."

"Alright, Dan it looks like were gonna need some fancy flyin' after we pick up Colin, you better hurry."

The ship picked up speed as Dan pushed on the accelerator. We burst through the tunnel opening and we were out into the fields.

"Ok Dan slow down, we're coming close," said Parker in the headset.

"Ok," said Dan, "just say when so I can drop the grapple in time." We hovered slowly over the wasteland for several long moments.

"OK Drop it!" Suddenly came out of the headset. Dan quickly hit the drop button and the ship shook slightly as the grapple dropped, picked up Colin and retracted.

"I've got him," said Tarra, "Now get us the hell home Danny!" Dan drove the accelerator to its fullest speed and the ship took off once again.

Just then the proximity alert sounded and the ship's lights began to flash red.

"Great how many is there?" I asked.

"It's a good sized attack squad there is about 20."

"Isaiah, Tarra, Parker, we have to man the gun turrets."

"Ok." All three of them answered me through the headset. Isaiah and I took off out the door to the weapons level of the ship. We met Tarra and Parker there and each manned a turret.

"Alright guys remember as always shoot to kill!" I said.

"Well dah!" said Isaiah as he opened fire.

"What the hell else would we shoot for!" yelled Tarra pulling the trigger. Parker and I joined the others in firing into the swarm.

"How far from Zion are we captain?" asked Tarra.

"We'll enter the defense perimeter in about 22 minutes, we just need to hold'em off until then. Try to get us there in one piece Danny."

"Got it," said Dan in the headset. As we flew through the tunnels more and more sentinels were drawn to us until there was a massive swarm behind us.

"Holy shit look at them all!" yelled Isaiah. There were several in my viewer that had clung to the hull of the Navras.

"Never mind the swarm just help me keep them off the ship." I shot several off and Tarra followed my example, while Isaiah and Parker concentrated their attacks in the swarm.

"Good work Tarra keep shooting." As we knocked off the sentinels that had clung to the ship, two more were there to replace it.

"God dammit, you two we could use some help keeping the ship together," said Tarra frustrated. Isaiah switched his target to the ones attacking the ship directly.

"Eat led you god damn bucket of bolts!"

We fought for the longest minutes in our lives as the ship whirled through the tunnels at a great speed. The sentinels relentlessly attacked the outer hall of the ship literally picking it apart at the seems with there lasers.

"How much time have we got left?" asked Tarra in a slight panic while she fired her gun turret.

"Just sixteen more minutes you guys hang in there, keep yourself and the ship together!" I hit two sentinels in my viewer sending them rolling in a ball of fire. One of them suddenly clung to Tarra's turret and started the cutting laser.

"Can someone get him off me? He's just out of my viewer."

"Hang on I think I can get him!" Parker yelled. Parker got the sentinel in his view and opened fire, quickly making short work of the sentinel.

"Thanks Parker!" Just then the sentinels began to pick up speed and suddenly the entire back end of the ship was immersed in the swarm.

"Holy shit! Danny go faster use the auxiliary power to make the ship move faster!" Isaiah yelled at the sight of the attackers.

"Got'cha, but I don't think we can move much faster than this!" said Dan.

"Alright everyone focus your attacks on the ones clung to the hall, we need to get those things the hell off us before they completely destroy the back end." I yelled as I began to fire non-stop into the swarm that had attached themselves to us. The other four turrets began to do the same, firing continuously into the swarm of sentinels. Several more long moments passed as we slowly cleared them off the hull, the ship had continually began to pick up speed as the auxiliary power was pumped into the hover engines.

"Come on we can make this you guys!" said Isaiah trying to sound enthused that we were going to make it. Just then the ship lost an engine and we dropped in speed slightly.

"Shit they got one of our engines Captain!" said Dan, "we're gonna loose some of our speed."

"Just concentrate on what your doing, we'll handle it!" I said frustrated, "alright guys step it up a bit. We just need to last a little over seven minutes."

"Captain, maybe we should use the EMP and wait for another ship to come to our aid, I don't think we'll make it."

"We'll make it trust me!" I shot as many of the sentinels as I could, but still they closed in on us faster and faster. The time was seemingly running long when everything including the ship went dead. We had made it. . . now to restructure and train Colin.


	17. Restructuring, Back Home

Chapter 17: Restructuring/Back Home

Tarra, Parker and I were in the medical lab in the main building of the shipping dock, Colin was laying on the operating table in front of us. We had just begun the process of restructuring the musculature on his body. Tarra was slowly placing the electron needles into the muscles on his legs and I was working on his upper body. Parker was closely monitoring his vital signs.

"This the third time I've done this, and I still feel uncomfortable doing it," I said as I pushed one of the needles into the side of his neck. Colin was still unconscious from the anesthetic we used but he would be out of it soon, not that it would matter, he still would not be able to feel anything.

"Well thank god that we can use the computer program to insert the process of how to do it. To learn this stuff would require some kind of medical degree or something," said Tarra as she continued pushing the needle into his right leg.

I continued to place the needles into his skin one by one. The process was long and tedious and very dangerous, one misplaced needle, sticking one in to far almost anything could cause the loss of use of a limb or lack of feeling in a section of skin.

"Parker how are things looking from your point of view?" I asked. Parker was sitting with his arms crossed and with one hand by his mouth.

"Things are still looking good but he is going to come around in a few minutes, just a warning."

"Ok."

Once the process was begun you could not stop until it was finished, which would definitely take a few hours. We were going to be here for a while. Tarra pushed several more needles into his leg and had done almost half of both of Colin's legs.

"Parker, this section is almost ready for the electro trans dermal nerve stimulation process," said Tarra.

"You're hurrying along," I said.

"Hey I don't want to be here all night, I don't know how you feel about the whole situation."

"Your right, good work, you're really getting a knack for this." I smiled and went back to the needles. I was standing over Colin's head and his eyes slowly opened into a squint.

"Ah man, where am I?" he asked quietly.

"You're in the real world man it's the real thing."

"Why can't I feel anything, why are my eyes burning like this?"

"While you were hooked into the matrix your body grew but the muscles and nerves didn't develop properly because they were never used. That is also why your eyes are burning, you've never used them before."

"We're slowly rebuilding you, you should just try to rest," said Tarra. Colin slowly lost consciousness and faded back to sleep.

Tarra and I continued to work steady on Colin's body for almost two hours and we had gotten all of the needles into his muscles. Tarra held a medical scanning device in her hand and slowly began to run it over all the needles that had been placed in his body.

"Everything seems ok so far." She came to the middle of his stomach and the scanner began to beep with pauses in between beeps.

"There is a loose one around his abdominals somewhere." I walked over to his mid-section and began to check the needles one at a time.

"Move the scanner around a bit it should beep faster when it gets closer to the one that's loose," I said carefully checking several of the needles. Tarra nodded and began to run the scanner over the area, it began to beep faster and faster. She got to a single spot and the scanner went crazy beeping faster and louder, she pointed to one of the needle.

"I think it's that one." I reached over and put my hand on the needle and sure enough it was the one we were looking for. I pushed the needle in a little farther and the scanner stopped beeping. I nodded at Tarra and she continued scanning along, she shortly came to the end and stopped.

"Parker, he's ready when you are," she said.

"Ok you two come over here now I am getting the computer ready to start," instructed Parker. Tarra and I did as Parker instructed and stood next to him in the computer room.

We watched Colin as Parker began the electro trans dermal nerve stimulation process. There was a quiet buzzing noise as the process started and Colin's body began to jolt slightly. This was completely normal the process was working well, his body was responding perfectly. Parker continued the process for approximately thirty minutes un-interrupted, and then the machine began to power down.

"He's done now all we have to do is leave him in the recovery ward for a few days and he will be fine," said Parker.

"That's great, well done guys," I said walking away from them. "Parker go tell the nurses to get him to the recovery ward, after that go for a break, you'll be called in a day or so before we leave." I walked out the door and into the hallway. That was the second step completed. I made my way out into the building and to my room in the city.

Meanwhile Isaiah had been showing Dan around the city of Zion they were all the way to the bottom in the temple.

"This city is huge how the hell did they build it?" asked Dan.

"I'm not really sure but I know that the humans did it," answered Isaiah. Dan shook his head.

"So where do we go now?" Isaiah looked at the temple clock.

"I think they should be done by now let's go check in on them."

Isaiah and Dan walked over and into the elevator and pushed the top floor. The doors closed and the elevator started steadily up the levels of the city, it would probably take them roughly twenty minutes to get to the main dock floor.

"So Dan I'm curious, what do you think of the real world?" asked Isaiah. Dan was quiet for a few seconds apparently in deep thought.

"Personally I think it really sucks, I mean the humans have almost nothing. Death could come for us at any moment, anywhere. The only reason I even stay here is because Tarra is here, if not I would be right back in the Matrix." Isaiah looked at Dan and put his head down.

"What would happen if Tarra were to die or something. . ." Dan looked away and glared into space.

"I don't . . . really know." Isaiah shook his head and they waited the rest of the ride out in silence. The elevator came to a slow halt and they stepped out onto the main floor.

"They should be in the main medical lab come on." Isaiah and Dan walked toward the medical lab and Tarra and Brandan walked out.

Isaiah and Dan walked toward us.

"I wonder what they did while we were working?" asked Tarra.

"I actually asked Isaiah if he wouldn't mind showing Dan the city," I answered.

"Hey Captain, I took him on the tour, how did things go with Colin?" Isaiah asked as he walked up to us.

"Everything went great, the newest member of the crew is in the infirmary resting."

"Great, I can't wait to train with him." Dan walked up to Tarra and they kissed.

"How did you enjoy the tour?" asked Tarra.

"It was great, this city is amazing."

"I don't know about the rest of you but I need to go get some sleep," I said.

"Yeah you're right let's go to bed," Tarra agreed, "I'm exhausted from all the shit we've done today."

"Today was definitely long," I agreed. Truth be known we hadn't slept since we got to the dock, it had been several hours and it was now about ten at night.

We each got into the elevator and started on our way down.

"Isaiah are you still gonna bunk with me or are you going to get your own room?" I asked.

"I think I'll stay with you for awhile longer, not really to big on being alone at all." Isaiah looked at me and smiled uncomfortably.

"So Captain who is next? Have you decided?" asked Tarra.

"I don't know if we should get Tabatha or Saba next, Colin will definitely want me to free Saba. But there is also a lot to take into consideration between here and there. I guess only time will tell." The elevator came to a halt at my level and Isaiah and I got off of the elevator.

"We'll see you guys tomorrow, ok." Tarra nodded and smiled as the elevator door closed. Isaiah and I stayed in silence as we walked to our room.

"Are you ok?" I asked looking at him.

"Yes why?"

"You just look troubled is all."

"Maybe I'll tell you later, not ready just yet." I nodded and we came to the door of our room and walked in. I sat on the bed and laid down letting out a sigh of relief.

"I have a Captain's meeting to go to tomorrow," I said.

"Is that the first one you've been to?" asked Isaiah. I shook my head.

"No I've been to two before this but that was before the Navras even left the dock." Isaiah took off his shirt and lay down on the bed next to me.

"I don't know how you can go to them with Commander Locke running them. I can't stand the guy, he's so arrogant and he treats us "pod bourns" like crap. We're the ones doing the majority of the fighting, you'd think we would get more respect from people."

"Don't worry how other people treat you, for it is how you treat other people that will matter in the end. Just remember that." I lay with my eyes closed and felt Isaiah lay his head close to mine.

"I will," he whispered. We went to sleep and slept soundly through the night.


	18. What is the Matrix?

Chapter 18: What Is The Matrix?

I opened my eyes the next day and got up out of bed, I looked at the time and then at Isaiah. He was still fast asleep; I decided not to wake him and got dressed for the meeting. I quietly walked out of the room and into the city streets. I made my way to the elevator and went to the dock. I entered the main Command Center and walked to the meeting room. I got there to discover that the meeting hadn't started yet and there were several others waiting inside the room for Commander Locke to arrive. I recognized a few of them, Captain Niobe of the Logos, Captain Soren of the Vigilante, Captain Thadeus of the Osiris, and Captain Mifune' was there as well. Several other unfamiliar faces were there; Morpheus was nowhere to be found. I leaned against the wall and put my head down to wait for the commander.

"How fares the newest Captain in the fleet?" I heard in a deep voice. I lifted my head to see Captain Thadeus standing in front of me with Niobe alongside of him. I smiled to greet them.

"I'm doing great I've almost got a full crew on the Navras," I said in response, "We've had a few close ones but we made it back in one piece." Captain Thadeus put his hand on my shoulder.

"Glad to hear it, we've all had our close calls, but we will always pull through, you can always count on that." I smiled at him and he dropped his arm back to his side. Niobe smiled at me and reached out her hand.

"I don't believe I had a chance to welcome you to the fleet," she said. I shook her hand and smiled.

"Thank you Niobe your hospitality means a great deal to me, I look forward to when the time comes for the two of us to fight side by side."

"As do I." Just then the commander walked in and stood at the head of the table.

"Alright people let's get this meeting started," he said sternly. Each of the captain's took a seat at the table.

"Alright Captains what are the latest reports on the machines?" Captain Soren glanced at me then looked at Locke.

"They have been stepping up their patrols lately, where there was only one patrol before there is now four or five," he said.

"Captain Soren is right, the machines are stepping up their patrols almost three and four times as much as they used to be," said Niobe.

"They must be trying to keep something under wraps. The tunnels are crawling with them, it's absolutely insane," said one of the others. I sat forward in my chair.

"I can't speak for the rest of you but in my personal experience, the machines seem to be getting smarter. Their A.I. seems incredibly more efficient than it was when I was first freed. They seem to be getting faster. On our way here yesterday, my crew and I couldn't keep the sentinels off, we wouldn't have lasted another minute." Commander Locke looked at me strangely for a second.

"You think they are getting faster?"

The meeting dragged on for seven hours and still was not over yet. Isaiah sat in the room and waited for Brandan to come back when there was a knock at the door. Isaiah got up and opened the door to see Tarra standing in the doorway.

"Hi, mind if I come in for a visit?" she asked.

"No not at all, come on in." Isaiah stepped aside and Tarra walked in, he closed the door behind her. Tarra sat down on the bed.

"So is Brandan still in that meeting?"

"Yeah."

Tarra had a surprised expression on her face.

"Wow still, how long does it run, do you know?"

"No he never told me, but he was long gone when I woke up."

"Holy shit, seven hours with Deadbolt. That would drive me crazy." Isaiah sat down on his side of the bed and lay down.

"I didn't sleep very well last night, how did you sleep?"

"I slept better than what I thought I would but still, it wasn't all that great. Why didn't you sleep well any particular reason?"

"Actually to tell you the truth, it was something that Dan said to me that set me a little uneasy." Tarra looked at Isaiah seemingly confused.

"Really, what did he say that bothered you?" Isaiah looked at Tarra, she was waiting for his response with the look of worry in her eyes.

"When we were in the elevator yesterday going to meet you guys he told me that if you weren't here then he would go back to the matrix. You're the only thing keeping him here," Isaiah explained.

"Danny isn't going anywhere because neither am I, trust me don't worry yourself about it, it won't affect his performance in or outside the matrix. I won't let it." Isaiah nodded and looked away.

"If you say so, I'll leave it up to you."

Tarra looked at the time.

"Do you want to go for a walk or something, maybe grab a bite to eat?" she asked. Isaiah thought for a quick second.

"Sure we might as well, Brandan is going to be a while anyway." Isaiah stood up and walked to the door. "Let's go." Tarra followed him and they walked out the door together. "There's a really nice place over on the fifth level to eat they have the best salad ever," said Isaiah.

"You know this city better than I do so lead the way." They made there way to the elevator and stepped in there were several other people already inside heading in the same direction.

"Cool this shouldn't take very long at all," said Isaiah as the doors closed. The elevator started to climb the levels and the wait began.

"Good afternoon young ones, how fairs the new ship?" They heard a female's voice from behind them and turned to see who it was. The woman was Asian and she looked familiar to Isaiah from the christening of the Navras, it was Cho Wei, the first officer of the Osiris.

"It's great never been better and yourself Cho Wei?" asked Isaiah smiling.

"We are doing as good as ever since Neo came along, we have freed so many minds," said Cho Wei happily.

Meanwhile back inside the meeting room.

"That plan will never work!" said Captain Thadeus standing up. "To go inside the core network is suicide. There is no way two crews can destroy two of the main network points they're too heavily protected." I looked at Thadeus and then looked back to Commander Locke who looked rather annoyed at Thadeus' outburst.

"Captain sit down please," he said, "This mission will be difficult yes but not impossible."

"I think it's possible, with the proper planning and determination," said Niobe.

"Do you want to be the one to do it?" asked Thadeus. Niobe looked at Thadeus unshaken with courage in her eyes.

"I will have no problem doing it I put complete faith in my crew."

"I also have another mission for you Thadeus . . . Someone needs to patrol junctions 400 through 550 near the surface of the earth." I looked at Thadeus and back to Locke.

"I'll do that if you won't Thadeus," I said to him. Thadeus looked at me for a second.

"We can't send a newbie Captain into the front lines of the surface." I shrugged my shoulders and looked away slightly annoyed at being called a newbie. Commander Locke looked at me.

"What do you have to say about all of this Captain Brandan?" asked Locke.

"Being inside the core network is suicide like Thadeus said, but I think my crew and I could do it once we get a full roster," I said confidently, "Niobe would you mind accompanying us for the trip?" I smiled at her and she smirked back at me.

"Anytime kid, anytime," she said nonchalantly. I raised an eyebrow at Locke.

"Well what's it gonna be?"

Isaiah and Tarra had just found the place Isaiah was talking about. They were sitting at the table waiting for their food, they had just ordered and were expecting to wait for about twenty minutes based on the people that were in the restaurant.

"Gosh I'm so hungry and I just realized it now," said Isaiah.

"It's amazing how hungry someone can be once they actually sit and think about it, huh?" Tarra laughed.

"Hey where's Dan at anyway?"

"He said he wanted to stay in the room in the training program for a bit to get his driving skills up to snuff. . . god, boys and their toys."

Isaiah smiled and took a drink of his water. Suddenly the intercom of the city became active.

"All members of a hovercraft crew please report to you respected ships in forty-five minutes," said a female voice.

"Looks like we'll have just enough time to scarf this down and get the hell outta here," said Tarra.

Back inside the meeting they were beginning to come an understanding of how things were going to be gone about.

"Great then it's settled," said Locke, "Thadeus you take the Osiris and gather scans of junctions 400 through 550. Niobe, you will accompany Brandan and his crew until they have a full roster, after which you will report back to me and start the attack on the core network. Captain Soren, I want you to take the Vigilante and keep an eye on police and agent activity inside the matrix, but be careful and stay as safe as possible."

As each of us were given our mission we walked out of the room together. Niobe and I were followed by Thadeus and Soren.

"Thadeus good luck on your mission and be careful," said Niobe looking back at him. Thadeus nodded.

"Same to you Niobe."

"Soren stay safe, don't let your guard down." Soren smiled at me as I glanced back at him.

"Don't worry about me kid, just look after yourself."

"I'll be fine." Niobe smiled at me and then at Soren.

"After all I am going with him remember," she said.

We walked in silence for a few short minutes and went our separate ways to our own ships to brief our crews on the situation.

I walked on board the Navras through the lower entry port and went to the conference room. The others were all there waiting for me in there chairs. As I entered, the room went silent.

"So what's the word Captain?" asked Parker. I sat in my chair and looked at each of them individually.

"Captain Niobe and her crew are going to help us free Tabatha and Saba, then when we have a full roster we're going to report to Commander Locke for further instructions on our upcoming mission inside the core network. We're leaving as soon as Colin becomes trainable, which should only be another day. We're probably looking at tomorrow afternoon as our departure time."

"Now have you decided to train Colin yourself, or are you going to get one of us to do it?" asked Isaiah.

"I will do the training myself. But for now that's all unless you guys have any questions."

Colin had just opened his eyes for the first time since his body had been restructured. He was lying in a bed in a large open room with several other beds lining the walls. There was a young woman at the side of his bed setting down a tray with some kind of food on it.

"Excuse me miss, but where am I?" he asked. The woman turned to face him startled by his voice.

"Oh umm, hi," she said in a somewhat ditsy voice. Colin perked his eyebrow at her ditsyness and slightly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, you startled me. You're in the recovery ward, you just had your body rebuilt pretty much, how do you feel?" Colin sat up slowly.

"I feel decent I guess. So is someone going to explain what this is all about? The last thing I remember clearly was the escape from the police?" The woman shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"Your captain will be here soon to tell you the rest of the story just open your mind and be willing to listen. . . But for now just enjoy your first real meal, it's a salad made from the freshest vegetables in Zion." The woman passed him the tray.

"Thanks what's your name by the way?"

"I'm Anna, I'm the head nurse here in the infirmary." Colin nodded his head.

"Cool so I guess I'll be seeing a lot of you then."

Anna smiled and walked away from him as he picked up his fork and started to eat. It wasn't long after he had started to eat he saw Brandan enter the infirmary and talk to one of the nurses. They had a short exchange of words and the nurse pointed towards Colin, obviously showing Brandan where he was. Brandan walked through the mass of beds and made his way over to Colin and sat down at the foot of the bed.

"How are you feeling Colin?" he asked.

"I'm feeling good man."

"Have you tried to walk yet?" Colin shook his head no, he hadn't even thought to try and walk.

"No, I haven't." Brandan looked around to find the nurse, and waved her over.

"Nurse could you get this man a something to wear. Just regular crewman clothing will be fine." The nurse walked out of the infirmary to get some clothing and returned shortly with a regular crewman outfit. She gave them to Colin and he put them on.

"Come on I'm gonna show you around the ship, and by the way. . ." Brandan said.

"What's that?" I looked Colin directly in the eye giving him a very sincere look.

"Welcome to the real world." Brandan stepped back and extended his hand to Colin, he took the offer and Brandan pulled him to his feet. Colin was wobbly for a few seconds.

"Whoa," he laughed, "I feel all wiggly 'n' shit." Brandan smiled and walked away.

"Come on you have a lot to see."

Meanwhile back on board the ship Isaiah and Parker were working with several technicians, preparing it for the long hall and making sure it would have several back up energy packs.

"Have all the system scans been performed yet or have you even started yet?" asked Parker seemingly impatient.

"Sir we're working as fast as we can but we're having a few small problems," said one of the technicians.

"What kind of problems?" asked Parker.

"I don't know sir it seems that you guys might have picked up a minor virus from the matrix. The computer can't seem to trace it." The technician had a puzzled look on his face.

"Why can't we trace it?" asked Isaiah.

"Well right now the virus is in stealth mode because it isn't large enough yet to do any damage. If we find it now, I'm sure you won't have any trouble with it, but if you can't find it then it might attack the system when you're inside the matrix, and that would be fatal."

"Well I know that," said Parker, "So how do you suggest we find it, the ship needs to be ready for tomorrow afternoon." The technician thought for a second with his hand on his chin, he looked at Isaiah.

"Well you could theoretically find it inside the construct program somewhere if we sent you into the core computer of the ship." Parker looked at Isaiah expectantly.

"Do you think you can do it?" he asked.

"I'll do it, hell it has to be done right? Jack me in man." They walked to the broadcast zone and started to hook Isaiah into the machine.

"Now once you get in there the virus could be anything, we'll give you the antivirus as soon as you enter. It'll be in the form of a gun," explained the Tech.

"Ok, is there any chance that virus will infect me?" asked Isaiah.

"As far as we know, no it can't but we have installed a firewall on your jack so that it won't let any attachments to your program into your body." Isaiah nodded as Parker finished strapping him in and had inserted the needle.

"Alright Isaiah I'm gonna send you to the ships motherboard, I've set it up to look like the Navras inside. Remember the virus could look like anything so be careful."

"Ok, I' m ready when you are." Parker hit the enter key and Isaiah loaded into the construct program.

The construct program loaded up slowly, it looked different then usual, he could tell there was something wrong with the computer. The construct program was changing colors from white to blue to green and on. His cell phone started to ring and sounded digitally distorted, he picked up.

"Isaiah I'm sending you to the motherboard," said Parker. The reception on his phone was extremely highly static and it was hard to hear.

"Ok send me there now," said Isaiah in an echoed voice. Isaiah looked around as he loaded into the computer core of the Navras. Suddenly he was standing in the broadcasting room again, he looked around and decided that he would check the other rooms in the ship.

"Alright virus, look out because the cure is here." Isaiah cocked his gun that he assumed was the antivirus, it had been loaded directly into his hand.

Isaiah walked over to the computer core and typed something into the computer, a map of the ships motherboard came up on the screen he typed in a system scanning code that he had been told about some time ago. The viral locator system began to work and one of the rooms on the map of the Navras began to flash red.

"Ok there you are." Isaiah stood up and ran out of the room. He dashed through the rooms going through the bridge, on his way by he noticed that it looked like they were in the tunnels based on the computer. He kept running and entered the last room it was the medical bay. There were no lights on and about 80 of the room was shrouded in an eerie darkness. Isaiah hit the light switch and the lights came on. There was a large crouched over dark figure in the corner, he crept closer to it and reached for his gun. When suddenly the creature attacked him unexpectedly, its eyes were a blood red and it looked like Brandan. Isaiah jumped out of its reach and kicked it in the face knocking it backwards.

"Foolish human you will never beat me." Isaiah began to attack with his hands hitting the virus high and low.

"We'll just see about that!" Isaiah struck the virus repeatedly seemingly weakening it. It fell to the ground and Isaiah quickly drew his gun and pointed it, he pulled the trigger hitting it several times with the weapon. The virus began seizing on the floor and light began to shine through the holes that the bullets had made, it disappeared shortly. Isaiah took out his phone and dialed the operator. "Parker mission accomplished pull me out."

His surroundings changed to that of the construct program that was completely back to normal. Isaiah closed his eyes and he was uploaded back to reality.

"Problem solved," he said as Parker pulled the needle from his neck.

"Yeah kid it looks like you got it."

Meanwhile Brandan and Colin had just entered the dock and were slowly making there way to the Navras.

"Man why am I all shaky like this?" asked Colin, "And why the hell am I so skinny man this really sucks."

"Colin it sounds hard to believe but this is the first time you have actually ever used any of your muscles. You've never even moved before." Colin walked slowly beside Brandan. "Your going to be starting your training tomorrow as we are lifting off, we're going to free Tabatha next and I would like you to be ready to go before that."

"Ok throw it at me whenever you're ready man, you know I'm always up for a challenge right." I nodded my head at Colin's enthusiasm, this was why I new he would be a great addition to the team. His willingness to be forever better than before would be his strength. We walked up to the Navras and enter through the cargo bay.

"Welcome to the Navras, this is my ship, it's a hovercraft. This is the main tool in the war against the machines, we are all soldiers." Colin looked at me strangely seeming confused.

"So what year is it anyway?"

"No one really knows that answer for sure, but all your life you have been lead to believe that it is the 21st century when it's probably safe to say it's closer to the 23rd century."

"How can that be? I don't get it."

"That's why I am going to show you." We walked into the broadcasting room where Tarra and Dan were helping monitor the equipment checks.

"Hey Captain, how's it goin?" said Dan smiling.

"Just fine," I said smiling back, "Can you guys get two of the jacks ready for me I'm going to show him something." Tarra looked at Colin and smiled as she started to ready two of the chairs.

"Hey Colin, how are you coming along?"

"I'm doing great, learning some pretty weird shit though."

"Yeah we all went through it though," said Dan getting the other machine ready. I walked over and sat in one of the chairs.

"Tarra, get him loaded in." Tarra walked over to Colin, placed her hand on his shoulder and guided him over to the other chair. Dan and her both worked on getting him jacked in I hooked myself up and waited for them to plug in the connector. Tarra had just finished strapping him in and picked up the needle.

"Alright now this is going to feel a little weird." Tarra shoved the connector into Colin and loaded him in. She loaded me in second.

Colin opened his eyes shortly after feeling the sharp pain in his neck and he was in a massive white open space. He did a full turn around not seeing anything or anyone, when suddenly Brandan appeared.

"Where are we?" asked Colin.

"This is the construct program, it is our loading program. From here we can load anything, clothing, weapons, even vehicles. It is from here that we jack into the matrix," I explained.

"The matrix," Colin whispered, "It does exist." I pushed a button on the remote in my hand and a television appeared a picture of the city on the face.

"This is the world as you know it, the world as it was at the beginning of the 21st century."

"Crazy man, that's fucked. I don't know if I'm buying that."

"It is now closer to the 23rd century actually. The world now is not quite as great a place as you are about to see. I hit the button again and the surroundings of the construct program changed to the vast wasteland. Welcome to the desert of the real."

"How did things get like this?"

"At the turn of the 21st century all of mankind was united as one, as we marveled at our ability to play god, we gave birth to A.I."

"Artificial intelligence."

"Exactly Colin, and that artificial intelligence gave birth to an entire race of machines. We don't know exactly who threw the first punch but we blackened the sky. At the time they had only one source of energy, the sun, and we believed that if we blocked out the sun they would soon die off. But we were wrong. . ." The scenery changed again to that of one of the power plants. "The machines found all the energy they would need. The human body puts out more bio-electric energy then a 120 volt battery and over 25,000 BTU's of body heat. There are fields that span for thousands upon thousands of miles where humans beings are no longer born . . . we are grown." The construct program changed as I spoke to the disturbing images of the fields. Colin had a look of disbelief of his face. "I know what you're feeling right now. I didn't want to believe it either until I saw it with my own eyes. I watched them as they liquefy the dead so they could be fed intravenously to the living. Standing there I came to realize the answer to that question that until now you were never asked. What is the matrix?" I looked at Colin who had a believing look on his face as he stared blankly at the images of the construct program.

"Control," he whispered.

"Exactly the matrix is a computer generated dream world, built for one thing to keep us under control. In order to change a human body into this." I held up a coppertop battery to Colin. Colin had an angry look on his face as he grabbed the battery.

"How do we stop this?" I smiled at him.

"We are all soldiers in an ongoing war, each person plays his part, tomorrow you will learn how you are going to help us out in the training program." I shook Colin's hand. "Welcome aboard."

They pulled us out of the construct program and we were back on the ship.

"Tarra tell Isaiah and Parker that I want the ship ready to go at 1200 tomorrow." Tarra smiled and nodded.

"Ok."


	19. Departure

Chapter 19: Departure

I opened my eyes the next day and looked at the clock, it was almost 10:30 am. I arose out of bed and Isaiah had already gotten up to go work on the ship. I got dressed, walked out of my room and went to the dock to help them finish getting the last things ready on the ship. I stepped on board and seen Parker walking with a checklist in and around the other technicians.

"All those extra ammo crates," he called out.

"Check!" called out a Technician.

"Ten extra power cells!" One of the other technicians was rooting through boxes.

"Check, we got all ten."

"Six months supply of food!"

"You got it right here." One of them held up a bag of the mix we used to make food.

"Spare water supply!"

"Good to go sir."

"Extra E.M.P. coils just in case we blow one?"

"We got it!"

"Extra medical supplies including muscle restructuring tools and equipment."

"You've got it all sir, the ship is ready for launch." Parker checked his list one last time and lowered it to his side.

"Good work guys we're good to go." The technicians began to file out of the ship in small groups taking all their equipment with them.

I walked up next to Parker and took the list from him, I looked the list over.

"Everything's done already?" I said surprised.

"Yeah we've been here since 7:30 this morning," said Parker, he turned to look at me.

"Great work Parker, that's what you're known for. Where are the others?"

"They're through out the ship checking on the computers."

"Ok thanks." I passed him back the checklist and walked into the ship, I made my way to the ships Navigation Center, Dan was there looking over the navigation computer and Colin was just sitting in one of the back chairs he appeared to be in deep thought. "How's everything going Dan?" I asked.

"I'm just doing the last of the system checks and then we will be ready to go. Should take me about twenty minutes."

"Good work Dan. So Colin, how did you sleep?" I asked. Colin snapped out of his state of deep thought and looked at me strangely.

"Not really, sleep isn't the same in the real world, the dreams are so unpredictable," he explained.

"Yeah that's something you'll get used to though don't worry about it. You'll sleep well tonight, Parker is going to train you once we're one our way." Colin nodded his head.

"Sounds cool." I walked to the holographic panel and looked it over making sure it was in decent shape. Realizing that was in order I went to the broadcasting zone.

I walked down the steps to the broadcasting zone and Tarra and Isaiah were checking on each broadcasting terminal.

"Hey Brandan, did you sleep well?" asked Tarra.

"Yes great thanks for asking. How are things here coming along?" Isaiah stood up and looked at me with a small amount of oil on his face.

"We're just about done checking the terminals for bugs captain, maybe another hour or so," said Isaiah.

"Wow an hour, Dan said he will be done in twenty minutes or so, anyway you guys can be done quicker?"

"Maybe if you and Parker helped us we might be able to get it done quicker," said Tarra.

"Ok we can help then." I put on a headset and talked to Parker.

"Hey Parker, you wanna come give us a hand with broadcast equipment. I'd like to get this show on the road as soon as possible."

"OK Captain I'll be right up," Parker answered me through the headset. The three of us started to work while we waited for Parker to join us.

"How many have you guys got done Tarra?" I asked as I got down beside one of the machines.

"Well, out of the eight that we have here, Isaiah and I have worked on five since this morning."

"You guys are doing well then."

Tarra, Isaiah, Parker and I worked on the last three terminals then Parker checked the operator's terminal and we were ready to go.

"All right Dan, fire up the engines and lets get this show on the road," I said into my headset. Isaiah, Tarra and I went to the main deck as the ships engines activated and the ship began to rumble. I sat in the navigation chair next to Dan, Isaiah took his station at Holographic and Tarra sat next to Colin behind Dan.

"Say goodbye to Zion everyone, it's gonna be awhile before we see her again," I said as I watched the dock through the window of the ship. The ship turned to face the exit to the dock and the gate slowly opened.

"Captain what are our orders anyway?" asked Tarra.

"When we get a full crew compliment, we are to contact the Logos and talk to Captain Niobe, she will deliver our orders from there. As for right now. . ." I was interrupted by a com signal.

"Who could that be?" asked Isaiah. I opened the communication button and Captain Thadeus' voice came over the headsets.

"Good luck Captain Brandan to you and your crew, the crew of the Osiris and I wish you luck on your journey and we will see you again in a few months," he said.

"Thank you Thadeus, good luck. . . Anyhow as I was saying, as for now we have to get Colin trained," Colin lifted his head at the mention of his name, "and we have to figure out how we are going to free Tabatha."

"She'll be fun to have around," said Isaiah.

The ship had just cleared the gates and we were well on our way again. I looked at Colin.

"Report to the broadcast deck Parker is going to start the first phase of your training."

"Ok Captain." Colin walked down to the broadcast deck and Parker was sitting in his chair, he smiled at him.

"Ah," he said, "how is my latest student?"

"I'm doing good," said Colin, "So where's the arena anyway, how are you going to train me with such limited space?" Parker turned to face his computer screen.

"Simple have a seat." Parker pointed at one of the broadcast terminals and Colin walked toward it. Parker got up and walked to the terminal as Colin sat down.

"This might hurt a bit, but you know that already right." Parker quickly pushed the jack into Colin's connecter point and sat back down. Colin wiggled a bit from the slight uncomfortable feeling of the jack but then was still and waited.

"So what now?" he asked. Parker sifted through some disks and then chose one and placed it inside the computer.

"Ah combat training this'll be fun. Hold still now!" Parker pushed a button and the information from the disk had began to upload into Colin's mind.

It had been almost a full day since we had left the dock and Colin and Parker had been in the broadcast room since the morning.

"Captain don't you think it's been awful quiet?" asked Tarra, "You would think that we would at least have got something on the holographic scanner by now." I looked out the window silently she was right it was quiet, too quiet.

"I don't know, you're right though it is definitely strange, the machines seem to have gone into hiding or something. I am going to go check on Colin. Isaiah keep running scans consecutively, when one is done run another until I say not to ok?" Isaiah nodded his head and I got up and went to the broadcast zone. I walked up behind Parker and put my hand on his shoulder. "How is he doing?" I asked. Parker looked at the computer screen and then back at me.

"He's been going for almost thirteen hours straight . . . unbelievable, only Neo went longer than this. We've gone over 92 of the information already."

"Alright stop him." Parker hit the button and Colin opened his eyes and looked at me.

"Dude I'm a black belt in Judo." Colin gave me the thumbs up and smiled foolishly.

"Ok," I said, "Show me then." Parker hooked me into the terminal and I was inside the training program with Colin.

"Welcome to the training program, it was created similar to the matrix, with rules and parameters that are almost the same. They can be broken." I took up a fighting stance and beckoned to Colin. He took up his own fighting stance with both his hands in front of him, clenched in a fist.

"Let's go," said Colin. Colin ran at me and attacked me with his fists swinging as fast as he thought he could. I easily dodged his attacks for a few minutes and then knocked him against the wall.

"Man," he got to his feet, "How are you moving so fast, you could have never beaten me a year ago?" I stepped over to Colin and looked him in the eye.

"Like I said this world is not the real one, several rules can be broken. Such as the rules of gravity," I explained, "You can move faster than you are moving all you have to do is believe you can do it and you will succeed." I took a few steps back. "Now let's do this again." I retook my stance and Colin readied himself once again.

Colin jumped directly ahead of me and once again started his onslaught of attacks. He began by punching and kicking me top then bottom and back again, I still dodged and blocked easily.

"Come on Colin, I know you gotta be better than this," I nagged him on. I swung at him and he grabbed my arm and caught me in a Satomakikomi judo throw and I quickly countered him with a Kataguruma landing him on his back. He quickly got to his feet and jumped high into the air, I watched him go through the air and waited for him to land. Just as his feet hit the ground I took to the air myself and time seemed to slow down. With both arms spread out I kicked Colin against the wall again. Colin quickly got to his feet I could tell he was pissed.

"Damn it! What the fuck was that man?"

"Colin calm down, you have to focus. The second you loose that focus you loose the fight."

"Alright Colin, focus. . ." he said to himself jumping and swinging at the air to get himself together.

"Alright now you better get it this time." I said getting ready. Colin came at me again, this was it I knew it. He swung at me several times this time landing a few small blows to the side. I swung back not connecting, but just ending up with a knee to the side. He quickly followed up on his attack with a series of punches and kicks and then swiftly uppercut me into a wall. This was it he finally got it. I got to my feet and Parker took us out of the training program.

Parker pulled the jack from my neck and I sat up. Colin was already sitting up looking at me.

"Great going man, you did it, but your training isn't over yet. Parker is gonna finish with you and then tomorrow we will have another little encounter, as for now hit the sheets. I'll see you in the morning." I got up and went up to the navigation deck. Colin's training was now well under way, as for the next one I would have to think of a way to take her out of the matrix.


	20. The Final Phase

Chapter 20: The Final Phase

Colin woke up in his cot to Parker standing over him apparently starring at him.

"Ah!" he jumped startled. "What the hell are you doing?" Colin sat up and looked at Parker.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Parker.

"Well yeah, did you?"

"I slept just great thanks. Now get the hell up and let's get your upload finished, so the Captain doesn't freak out at me today ok." Parker threw Colin's clothing at him and left the room. Colin got up out of bed and quickly got dressed, he finished and left the room. He headed to the broadcast zone where he assumed Parker would be waiting for him. He walked in and sure enough Parker was sitting at his station waiting to hook him in.

"I assume I just take a seat, huh?" said Colin.

"Yeah." Parker got up and walked over to one of the terminals. Colin followed him and he hooked him in. Parker sat back down at his computer and picked up another disk. "Ok so, since yesterday we did all the combat stuff, now I'm gonna give you your operations protocols." He stuck the disk in the computer and began to type.

Colin felt the information begin to flow into him through the jack. He knew so much now, it was really strange how the learning process worked here in the real world. Knowledge was just a click of a button away, it was a lot better than sitting in school for hours on end that's for sure.

I had just woke up and gone to the navigation deck Colin's training had been started again for the day and I was sitting in the navigation center with Isaiah.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

"I slept well, how about you?" Isaiah shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't complain."

I looked at Isaiah and half began, for some reason, to wonder if he would have been happier in the real world or if I should have just left him in the matrix. Isaiah looked at me and smiled.

"I'm glad you freed me, you know that right?" he said.

"Now that was timing. . . I was just starting to think about that actually."

"I know, I heard you somehow."

Isaiah looked at me for a second and Tarra walked in.

"Good morning you two."

"Morning," we both replied.

"Dan is on his way up I assume, his pilot shift is about to start. That and there is a group of sentinels heading toward us, I don't think they have spotted us yet," said Isaiah.

"He's on his way up, he is just getting dressed." Tarra took a seat at one of signal terminals where we monitored the matrix net activity.

Dan walked in and stood next to Tarra waiting for Isaiah to move from the chair. Isaiah stood up and moved to the holographic scanner. Dan sat down and got the ship airborne.

"Dan I've laid a course into the computer for you to follow, make variations if you think you need to," I said.

"Aye Captain." I got up from my seat, while Colin was in training, Parker would be busy so I went to monitor the operators station.

I walked into the downstairs and Colin and Parker were just getting done.

"Man I need to go lay down, I feel really dizzy all of a sudden," said Colin as he sat up.

"Yeah that's a good idea you have taken in a lot of information in the last two days, you need to rest your mind," explained Parker. Colin got up and nodded to Parker and walked out of the room.

"Good morning Captain." I nodded to him as I sat in the operator's chair.

"I think its time we check in on the media, see if anyone has made any big appearances lately."

The code screen activated and I was looking through the green at the local newspapers and news broadcasts. Parker stood beside me with his arms crossed and gazed into the code.

"Looks like the usual paper stars eh?" he said.

"Yup, Morpheus, Niobe, Soren, the best of the best. I say we need to make an appearance soon." I glanced through the missing column at the different people, both Colin and Isaiah were mentioned. There was soon to be some action. Just then the proximity alarm sounded. I put on my headset and talked to the navigation room.

"How many is there Isaiah?" I asked.

"There is one loner and another group closing in. You better come up here Captain." Isaiah spoke through the headset. I headed back up to the navigation deck, I walked in and we were already landed Colin had met me on the way.

"Brandan what's going on?"

"Shh," Tarra shushed him.

"That's what is called a sentinel. They are the machines hunters and they only have one purpose," I paused and looked at him, "Search and destroy. They are nothing but brutal killing machines. Isaiah charge the E.M.P." Colin looked at me strangely.

"What's an E.M.P." The lights on the ship went out and all was silent. Tarra leaned over to Colin and started to whisper to him.

"Electro magnetic pulse, it's our only weapon against the machines that is guaranteed to knock'em out in one hit. It knocks out there power supply, damaging electrical systems, that's why we have to kill the power in the ship every time we use it," she explained.

"Shh," I shushed the both of them and walked closer to the window out of the ship looking for more of them.

"We have to wait for all of them to get in range, when will they all be in range Isaiah." Isaiah looked at the small holographic scanner in his lap.

"Maybe a minute, tops." Just then we heard as the sentinels began to cling to the hull of the ship.

"Oh shit!" yelled Colin, startled.

"Its ok," said Dan, "Just try to stay quiet." We heard several more of them cling to the hull of the ship and use their lasers to cut through the hull.

"Hang on, steady, steady as she goes guys. . . Isaiah is that all of them." Isaiah shook his head no.

"There is still two more coming." We heard another cling to the hull and the light on the E.M.P. switch was fully lit.

"One more, come on baby."

"We've got a breach Captain," said Parker through my headset. One more clung to the hall and I flicked the switch releasing the E.M.P. and shorting out the sentinels. As the E.M.P. cleared the sentinels one by one fell from the ship and the lights began to come back on.

"Parker where was the breach at?"

"It was in the weaponry compartment."

"Ok, I'll send Dan to help you meet him there and get rid of that thing and fix the hull. I'm going to take care of the last phase of Colin's training."

"Confirmed." Dan got up and went to meet Parker and Tarra took his place.

"Isaiah, Colin come with me please. Tarra you keep watch ok."

"Alright Captain."

Isaiah and Colin followed me downstairs to the broadcast zone.

"Isaiah I want you to take the operators station," I ordered. Isaiah sat down and put on the headset.

"Ok Brandan lets get going." Colin got into one of the chairs and I loaded him in. I sat in one of the chairs and Isaiah came over and started to hook me up.

"Load the jumping program then we will do the agent program, ok?" Isaiah nodded and hit the load button.

I opened my eyes and we were standing in the construct program, our surroundings quickly changed to that of the building tops.

"Ok Colin as I had told you before, the matrix is a system built on another system. This system is not unlike a computer program, thus the rules can be bent, or even broken." I walked to the edge of the building and looked over, Colin did the same.

"Pretty high up huh?"

"Damn straight." Colin looked to the next building over.

"Being inside the matrix and being able to bend the rules does that mean we can do a lot of crazy shit." I looked at him with my eyebrows perked.

"I don't know you tell me."

"Hmm." Colin had a thinkers look on his face as he glared across the sky at the next building. "I bet you I can jump to that building over there." I shrugged my shoulders. Colin suddenly leaped into the air and seemingly flew across the sky, landing on the next building. "HAHA I'm unstoppable in this place," yelled Colin excitedly from the next building. I quickly and easily joined him on the building.

"Congratulations, not everyone makes that first jump. But now here we go." The surroundings change back to the construct program and then to a crowded city street near a fountain.

I began to walk.

"There is some small things I wish to go over with you." He followed me.

"All the people you see inside the matrix, doctors, teachers, lawyers, fast food workers, these are the minds of the very people we are trying to save. But one thing you must remember is that the human mind will have such a hard time letting go of this false reality that it will do anything to keep it. The fact is that all these people are our enemies as long as they are connected to the matrix." A young blonde women walks by in a provocative dress and Colin whips his head around at her, I stopped walking.

"Colin were you listening to me or were you looking at the blonde women?"

"Oh a sorry Brandan, what was that last part again. I kinda drifted off there. . ."

"Look again." Colin turned his head around and was starring down the barrel of an agents gun, he ducked and the program froze.

"I thought we were in the matrix." I shook my head.

"No. This is an agent they are sentinel programs that can move in and out of any software still connected to the matrix. They are everything they are everywhere and they can be anyone. Inside the matrix they are the keepers of the gate, almost every rebel that has met an agent and fought has died. This is one of our most important training sessions. It's purpose is to teach you one thing. If you are not one of us then you are one of them, do not be fooled." Colin nodded his head in acknowledgment. We loaded back into the construct program.

"Hey can I ask you something before we go back out." I turned to look at him.

"Of course."

"How do you look so damn cool? Where did you get those cloths?" I smiled at him and pushed a button on the remote for the construct program. Suddenly we're standing in a clothing aisle that stretched for miles.

"Welcome to the rebel clothing store. Pick out whatever you want whatever you need."

"Cool!" Colin ran down the aisle and looked at almost every article of clothing on the way down. He picked out his clothing. "Hey so how do I avoid doing this all the time."

"When you load up picture yourself exactly as you want to look in the matrix and the computer will save it for you if you want it to." Colin nodded. "Ok Isaiah pull us out he is done."


	21. Classified

Chapter 21: Classified

The next day as I sat in the navigation room I had been called down to the broadcast zone.

"What is it Parker?" I asked as I walked over to the operator's station.

"Commander Locke just called, he needs us to pick up a broadcast drop and then drop if off to Niobe and the Logos. He says it's a level 8 classification so we won't even be able to look at it," explained Parker.

"Where did he say it was?" Parker hit a few buttons on the keyboard and brought up the location. A computer center in downtown of the city, the drop was located on a certain computer and we would need to upload it from the system.

"How long do we have to get a hold of this thing Parker?"

"Deadbolt gave us two days, but the police force has already started to search through the building. They know its there they just don't know that it is on a computer."

"Great, I'll call a meeting." I walked out of the broadcast zone and went to the ships conference room, from which I called the meeting over the headsets.

Dan sat the ship in a cubbyhole or the tunnels and Isaiah set the scanners to auto. Tarra, Dan and Isaiah walked down to the meeting room and Brandan was sitting in the chair at the head of the table. Parker stayed in the operator's station to monitor the activity inside the matrix.

"What's with the sudden gathering, I take it the call was something pretty important," said Tarra.

"To say the least," I said, "It's a level 8 security clearance. I don't even have access to this."

"What is it?" asked Dan getting straight to the point.

"We have been ordered to pick up a broadcast drop and relay it to Captain Niobe, of the Logos. We have about two days to get it and relay it to her."

"That's not a lot of time when do we leave?" asked Colin, as he stepped into the doorway and leaned his shoulder against the wall.

"It's going to take a lot of careful planning to get through this one. The building is already heavily secure and the police force is patrolling it frequently," I explained, "Parker is formulating a plan of attack for us right now. For now return to your stations and await further instructions guys." They each pulled away from the table and stepped out the door except for Isaiah.

"This will be our first real mission as a crew other than freeing people it's gonna be hard. I'm a little worried," said Isaiah.

"Isaiah you can't doubt yourself inside the matrix you won't be able to focus at your best." Isaiah nodded agreeing with me.

"I will try to pull myself together."

Tarra and Dan had just stepped up on the navigation deck and sat down.

"How do you think this is gonna go?" asked Tarra.

"I don't know, but personally," said Dan, "I don't think we should have to do this alone either though if its for Captain Niobe then why didn't they send her the message of where it was? Why do we have to get it?"

"They probably couldn't get the communication to her they might be out of Zion's comm. range." Tarra sat down at the holographic scanner.

"I hope we can do it, I guess its almost a military building that we're going into, at least that's what it sounds like to me."

Isaiah had made his way down to the broadcast zone and Brandan went back to the Captain's chambers. Isaiah walked in and Parker was sitting at his station peering into the code screen and hitting buttons on the keyboard. Isaiah walked over to him un-noticed and starred into the screen, he was looking at a schematic of the building structure; all the possible entry points, where guards were posted, when shifts changed, when they did there rounds, the access to the stair wells and even possible escape routes. This was the type of operation that made Isaiah glad he was not the operator, and also glad that they had one as good as Parker.

"Isaiah start getting the broadcast equipment ready, do the check list on them to make sure they are running properly," he said not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Ok," said Isaiah moving to do the list on each one. He went to the first of them and began the routine check of the terminals, he started by checking the jacks on the terminals for bugs, then going over the computer system input and output lines. He repeated this process for all the terminals taking him about a half hour to complete. "They are all good to go Parker. Should I go get the others?" he asked.

"No its gonna take me a bit more to do this, go get Colin and practice with him inside the training program for a bit." Isaiah nodded at the strange order and left to go find Colin.

Colin sat in his quarters on the bed and was looking at the dark décor of the ship. It was a brand new hovercraft but it still looked like it was about twenty years old. The floors in spots were rusted and in other places the metal was almost molded. He sat in a meditation state concentrating on himself inside the matrix and how he would perform. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Hey can I come in?" he heard Isaiah from the other side of the door.

"Sure man come on in," Colin invited. Isaiah walked in and looked at him.

"Parker wants you to come train with me in the training program before the mission," said Isaiah, "he said we have about an hour, so let's go ok." Colin stood up.

"I'm ready when you are." Isaiah shrugged his shoulders and the two of them walked out of the room and back down to the broadcast zone.

They walked into the room and got ready to enter the program.

"Alright lay down," said Isaiah as he guided Colin over to one of the terminals. Colin laid down and Isaiah hooked him in then did himself in the next one.

"Parker load the fighting and speed simulator for me please." Parker loaded the program silently and Isaiah and Colin entered the construct program.

Isaiah waited as the battle program loaded and they were standing in an arena.

"Alright Colin," Isaiah took up a fighting stance, "Let's practice." Colin smiled.

"Man cool outfit," Colin took his own fighting stance,

"Ready when you are and you better not hold back."

"Bring it!" Colin jumped at Isaiah with a fist in the air, Isaiah jumped back and dodged as Colin smashed the ground causing a shock wave. He then jumped forward again and began to attack him using a variety of kung fu moves. Colin successfully blocked Isaiah's speedy attacks and attempted a few of his own. Inside the matrix, Isaiah new that Colin would be a challenge for almost anyone, his confidence and belief in himself was a powerful weapon. Isaiah jumped into the air and kicked him in the chest several times as fast as he could then returning to the ground and taking back to his normal attacks. Colin began to speed up he knew that Isaiah was known for his speed and he would have to be quicker to beat him as he knew his physical power inside the matrix was higher. Colin hit Isaiah into the air and punched him mid air sending him flying a few feet away and to the ground. Isaiah quickly got to his feet and jumped into the air, time seemed to slow down as his foot connected with Colin's face. Colin grabbed him by the foot and threw him into the air. Isaiah stood up quickly and raised his hand.

"That's enough of that, you're obviously a skilled fighter already. But let's see if you can catch me." The roof-tops of the city quickly loaded and they were standing on a large building. Isaiah raised his hand, there was a red flag in it, he showed Colin. "If you can get this from me, the game ends." Isaiah took off, jumping from the building to the next. Quickly Colin followed close behind, Isaiah started to gain leeway on him. They were getting close to the edge of the building and Isaiah didn't look like he was going to jump.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Colin yelled. Isaiah kept running and ran right over the edge Colin stopped and looked down.

"Holy shit!" Isaiah was running down the building. "Well here goes." Colin jumped off the building but wasn't falling as fast as Isaiah was running. Isaiah made it to the ground and was looking up as Colin fell. Colin landed right beside him and Isaiah jumped off of his shoulders and kept running along the streets. Isaiah looked back over his shoulder and Colin was no where to be found, he turned to face forward and Colin had somehow gotten right in front of him. Isaiah bounded into the air and jumped off of Colin's chest and did a Moon sault in mid air. In mid air the program changed back to that of the construct program. Isaiah landed on the ground and looked around waiting for someone to speak.

"Playtime's over guys its time for the real thing," they heard Parker's voice all around them.


	22. Classified Part 2

Chapter 22: Classified Part 2

"Just wait a second you two I'm sending the others in, then the Captain and I are gonna give you the run down," said Parker. Isaiah and Colin stood looking around when Tarra suddenly appeared behind them. She looked at them and pulled down her glasses.

"This is gonna be fun I think," she said winking at both of them. Isaiah smiled at her.

"Probably more fun than we're ready for." Dan appeared next to Tarra with his arms crossed and looked over at her and smiled.

"Finally some action." Tarra smiled back as the Captain appeared behind Colin and Brandan. Brandan flicked his shoulder and stretched out his jacket a little.

"Everyone ready to go?" he asked. Colin and the others nodded at him.

"Ok then." Brandan took out his remote control and flicked a button. The construct program loaded a meeting table with several objects on it including; a sniper rifle, a computer disk, a cell phone, and a USP link cable for a cell phone.

Everyone took a seat at the table.

"Ok guys, for this mission we will be dividing into two teams. Tarra, Colin and I will take the interior, Tarra we will need your skills to hack into the system and get the drop, using this cell phone and the jack. You will then upload the drop onto that disk," Brandan held up the cell and the computer link, " Colin and I will be your escorts. Isaiah you and Dan will be our distraction, also our cover. You will take this sniper rifle and be on top of the next building over providing cover for us while Tarra completes the upload." Dan picked up the sniper rifle.

"I'll handle this."

"You will take the Acura, while Tarra, Colin and I take the Mustang." Just then all of their cell phones rang as Parker called them. They each picked up.

"Just to let you all know these buildings are both heavily guarded. Isaiah you will have to be watching Dan's back when he is snipering, you will have to deal with an onslaught of swat teams. It won't be easy."

"I think we can handle it," said Dan confidently, smiling at Isaiah.

"With that said guys, I bid thee luck and safe return, and call me if you need anything," said Parker. Each of them stood up and stepped back from the table. The table disappeared from the area and then the system loaded the warehouse and the two vehicles placed together in front of them.

"Ok guys," I said opening the door to the mustang, "suit up." Isaiah and Dan jumped in the Acura and sped away. "Ok Colin, you're driving." Colin jumped in the driver's seat and Tarra and I got in the car, Tarra sat in the back.

Colin started the car and got out onto the city street. I turned on the internal computer in the dashboard of the car and brought up the map.

"Ok Colin this map will take you right to the place that we need to park in and we will proceed on foot from there," said Brandan. Colin nodded and kept driving according to the map.

"We should be there in a few minutes, its not very far," explained Colin. They drove in silence for a few minutes and came to a stoplight. Tarra looked the special cell phone over then stuffed it in her jacket.

"This is going to be hard, are you sure three of us is enough, Captain?" she asked.

"I'm quite confident that Colin and I will be able to handle the force." The car came to a red light.

"Captain the parking spot is just around the corner," said Colin.

"Ok, Tarra have you got everything you need? Make sure you don't leave anything here." Tarra nodded.

"I've got it all." Little did she notice, but the floppy disk she was to carry the drop on had fallen out of her pocket and was sitting in the seat. They pulled up in the parking spot and got out of the car. The Acura was parked next to them and it was empty.

Meanwhile Isaiah and Dan had made it to the outside of the building and walked into one of the basement windows. Isaiah went in first while Dan watched the entrance.

"Ok, we're clear, come on." Dan crept in through the window and they started up the steps, they came to a door.

"Call Parker see if this place is clear?" said Isaiah. Dan flipped open his phone and called Parker.

"Hey is this door clear?"

"Hey I did say it was heavily guarded."

"Do they know that we're here yet?"

"No but you better act quickly." Dan put his phone in his pocket.

"Ok there is a lot of them, but they don't know we're here yet." Isaiah nodded and leaned against the door; he held up his hand in a counting position and took out his gun. Dan nodded his head and took out his own gun. Isaiah busted the door open and they immediately started firing at the large SWAT force that was inside. Both Dan and Isaiah hurled themselves forward at the swat force firing their weapons rapidly; they each landed on separate sides of the room and dived behind several large crates. They looked at each other and signaled. Several bullets whisked by them and into the crates they hid behind. Isaiah put away his gun and signaled to Dan to do the same. Dan nodded at him again, and they both jumped toward each other, using their feet as footing they jumped into the bunch of them and began to attack them. Dan, surrounded by three swat members, jumped into the air kicked the two beside him and then punched the one in front of him. Isaiah pulled out his gun and shot several of them at close range. One of them began to reach for his gun, Isaiah noticed just as the man pointed the gun, he bounded into the air and kicked the gun from his hand, then kicked him in the head. Isaiah hit the ground and turned to face the three Dan had been fighting. Dan grabbed one by the neck and threw him against the floor crushing his face. He then tripped the other and kicked him across the floor. Isaiah came up behind the third and broke his neck and letting him drop to the ground limp.

"Good work, let's keep moving," said Isaiah. They began to make their way through to the next floor.

Back with the others, Colin, Tarra and Brandan had found an entrance that was currently unguarded.

"Ok, let's move, the guard will be back around any second now," said Tarra. Colin broke the glass in the window and they slipped in through the window. They walked in a formation keeping Tarra in the middle, Colin in front and Brandan bringing up the rear. They slowly made their way through the building trying to get to the elevator, sneaking past security. Colin peered around the corner and Tarra and Brandan leaned up against the wall.

"Is it clear?" I asked. Colin looked around the corner and then back to me.

"There's two guys over there with assault rifles. Man these guys really mean business," said Colin, with a worried look on his face. We heard several pairs of footsteps start toward us, I signaled Colin with my hands and counted to three on my fingers. On three the first of the men were spotted.

"We've go two males and a female here!" yelled one just as Colin punched him in the face. The other one raised his gun and Colin took to the air, while Tarra and I jumped out of the way. Colin kicked the gun with one foot and then kicked him in the face knocking the man into the air. I rolled along the ground and grabbed the assault rifle the man had dropped. I got to my feet and emptied an entire clip on the other men around the corner. The entire team had been taken care of and dropped to the ground dead, I threw the empty rifle to the ground and started walking.

"Let's go."

They came to an elevator and hit the button.

"We need to go to the 63rd floor," said Brandan, "We better be on guard things are gonna get hard from here on out. We are just about to get to the main computer lab, we'll have to hack the system from the main operations computer, that's where the drop is located." Colin and Tarra nodded, and Colin took out his gun. "No fire arms Colin, if we make a mistake and hit the system power supply or damage the main computer, then quite frankly if that happens . . . we're fucked simply." The elevator came to a stop and the door opened, they stepped in. I took out my phone and called Parker.

"Operator."

"Is there any sign of agent activity in the area yet?"

"I'm not seeing anything yet Captain but be on your guard."

"Have Isaiah and Dan reached their position yet?"

"They're getting to the area right now actually."

"Ok." I hung up my phone and looked at the elevator reader, we were at floor 52, just about there.

Dan had just begun to set up the sniper rifle. Isaiah was leaning against the door with a gun in his hand.

"Are you almost done?" he asked.

"It's almost ready, just got to get it aimed right," said Dan looking through the scope.

"Ok good. I think we're clear for now, they must be regrouping."

"Cool I got them on my scope they're in the middle of a fight." Dan quickly started aiming at the cops and fired the rifle, the glass shattered as the bullets went flying.

"Keep them covered, there is no way they can handle all of those men." Isaiah watched the men fall one by one as Dan got them with the rifle.

"Ok, good to see that Dan and Isaiah are doing their job, Tarra hook up the link you have to hack into the system!" I yelled. Tarra jumped the computer desk and sat in the chair, she took out the link and phone then proceeded to hook the link cable into the back of the computer, she started to use the phone to hack the system. There was a loud bang every time Dan fired the rifle and a man would fall. What Dan hadn't been able to take care of Colin was engaging in hand to hand combat, Brandan stood and watched as Tarra hacked into the system. Tarra tapped in several different codes as they came up, each code she tapped in sequence gave her another number in the pass code of eight digits.

"This isn't very difficult for a massive computer system although it looks like it might be alternating," said Tarra, still tapping in codes. Just then a full regiment busted through the door and started to move in.

"Ah, Captain I'm gonna need your help there's getting to be too many of them!" yelled Colin as he punched a soldier right in the face.

"Ok!" I hopped the counter and started to help Colin deal with the force. I swung at one of them and he ducked out the way hitting me in the side, I countered with a kick in the chest knocking him into one of the other soldiers. Colin grabbed one of them by the face and hit him against a wall, swung him back and forth and slammed him head first into the ground.

"Wow Colin, talk about over-doing it!" said Tarra. I did a round house hitting one of them in head and knocking them down. Several others went down as Dan took them out from the other building.

"Captain I'm almost in!"

Dan had just finished helping the others clear the room of soldiers. Isaiah could hear several swat soldiers regrouping outside the door.

"Dan put the gun down I'm gonna need your help here, I hear them outside," said Isaiah. Dan put the gun down and got ready pointing his handgun at the door. Isaiah waited against the wall for the door to open with his gun in his hand. He could hear someone talking on the other side of the door.

"Ok, get ready team we have no idea how many of them there may be in here use extreme force," said the mans voice. The door was suddenly forced open and Dan quickly opened fire on them. Isaiah kicked the man out of the way and as they came in they shot each of them one by one. Dan's gun ran out and he through it down. He jumped up to the rafter's and grabbed hold of them, he grabbed the next closest man with his legs around his neck and twisted, there was a loud cracking noise. He fell to the ground and punched the next one in the face knocking him over. Isaiah took out the next one with an intense fast combo as he fought as hard as he could.

"Where are they all coming from?" yelled Isaiah.

"Get them restrained as quickly as possible and with any means necessary!" yelled the Commander. One of the men grabbed Isaiah from behind and tried to throw him to the ground.

"Got you now you little squirt!"

"I don't think so!" One of the other men was coming toward Isaiah, he wrapped his legs around the mans neck and used him as a weight to throw the man holding him over his shoulder. Dan grabbed a gun from one of the bodies and shot the three that were left. Isaiah forced the door shut quickly.

"That's all of them for now, how are the others doing?" asked Isaiah. Dan picked up the rifle and looked through the scope.

"There doing pretty good there is no one in the room other than them. Colin and Brandan took care of it."

"I wonder if Tarra cracked the code yet."

"Tarra are you in yet?" I asked.

"I'm just about there hold on," she answered. Tarra typed in three more quick codes and there was small ping indicating that she had made it in to the system. "I'm in! Now all I have to do is get the drop from the inbox of the computer, what was it entitled?" she asked.

"It's called "Dear Sparks" it should be in the junk mail folder on the computer." Tarra nodded and gained access to the junk mail folder of the computer she reached in her pocket for the disk and realized it wasn't there.

"Captain!" Just then several soldiers burst through the door.

"What is it?" shouted Brandan as he kicked a soldier so hard in the chest his foot almost went through him.

"I left the disk in the car!" Tarra had a look of high worry on her face.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Colin.

"Fuck are you serious?" Brandan was angry at the incompetence that she had shown in forgetting the disk but realized that now was not the time to react to it.

"Where is it?" he asked hitting another soldier with his foot.

"It must be in the back seat of the car, unless I dropped it on the way here." Brandan walked over to the broken window and looked down.

"I'll go get it, you guys hold your ground here the best you can!" Brandan jumped out the window and took out his phone to call Isaiah.

"What are you doing Captain?" he asked as he picked up.

"Tarra dropped the disk we need to put the drop on, I need to go back and get it. Give them as much cover as you can." Brandan did a flip in the mid air and spread his arms. He hit the ground shortly hurting his legs, he ignored the pain and regained his focus starting his dash to the car. Focusing as hard as he could he quickly made his way to the Mustang. "It's got to be here," he said as he flung the door open to the back seat where Tarra had sat. Sure enough the disk was there in the seat, he grabbed the disc and stood up out of the car. He turned around and an agent was standing behind him. "Oh shit!" The agent fired his gun and Brandan moved to dodge, jumping to the left and taking off toward the building. As he ran the bullets whisked buy his head he bounded into the air and pulled out his phone, calling Colin. "Colin tell Tarra to be ready I've got an agent here and I don't know if I am gonna be able to take car of him by the time I get back to you guys!" I yelled.

"Ok," acknowledged Colin from the other end. Brandan put the phone away and kept running, he broke through the door and ran right by the front desk, the agent in hot pursuit.

Isaiah and Dan were sitting watching for the next wave to attack the other team. Dan watched in the scope as Colin took out his phone and looked over at them. Isaiah's phone rang and he picked up.

"What is it?" asked Isaiah.

"Yeah we've got a problem guys, the captain went back to the car to get the disk, he ran in to an agent on the way there see if you can see him in the lower floor offices." Isaiah ran to the window and looked at the lower levels and put away his phone away.

"There he is and the agent is closing in on him." Isaiah pointed to the Captain running along a hallway about a quarter of the way up the building.

"Dan see if you can take care of the agent from here." Dan readjusted the sniper rifle and tried to get a lock on the agent. He fired a few rounds off missing the agent.

"Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna hit him." Just as Dan finished the sentence the agent caught up to him.

Just as the agent grabbed him Brandan turned around and ran up the wall kicking him in the face. He began the most ruthless onslaught of attacks he could muster focusing as hard as he could and pushing himself to the limit. The agent wasn't as thrown off as much as had been originally planned.

"They must have been upgraded again." Every time an agent was killed by one of the rebels the machines upgraded the program making them stronger, faster and smarter. The agent took a few of the blows then started to block and counter the attacks with ease. The agent grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, he kicked and struggled as the agent threw him through the wall of an office. "Gotta make it back to them." Brandan got to his feet and took out his gun, the agent came around the corner and I pointed the gun and walked toward him firing. "I won't let you stop me!" Each word spewing out the same time as the bullet left the nozzle at the end of the gun. The agent dodged the bullets as he was approached. "You're not gonna stop me, you bastard."

"You're only human." The agent moved so fast that time seemed to slow down, he swung his fist and hit Brandan against the wall.

Isaiah watched through the window that Brandan was getting beaten.

"Dan keep trying, we have to save him, if they catch him then we will have to abort the mission!" Dan tried several times but couldn't hit the agent. "Damn it, to hell with this, I've gotta save him, he needs help." Isaiah focused as hard as he could and backed up against the back wall. "I'm coming," Isaiah whispered to himself. He took off as fast as he could and jumped through the glass, Isaiah seemingly floated to the next building window and crashed through the window where Brandan was fighting the agent. He went through the window and crashed into the agent feet first, knocking him into the wall. Isaiah looked at Brandan. "Let's get'em!" he said. Both of them began using there twin element attack on the agent and backing him toward the window. The upgrade wasn't enough to ward off them both.

"Go, come on faster!" yelled Brandan as they attacked the agent was almost to the window. With one last teamed kick they kicked him through the window knocking him to his death. Brandan took one last look at the body laying next to the building on the ground. "Thanks Isaiah, he would've killed me for sure back there," said Brandan, "Now let's get this disk back to Tarra." Isaiah nodded and they set back on their way.

Meanwhile Colin and Tarra were fighting off another wave of soldiers, and were not doing to good.

"Colin keep going!" yelled Tarra as she jumped and kicked one of the soldiers in the head.

"I'll be fine just take care of yourself." Tarra focused and brought up her hack screen, typed up a code and a blast of weird fire set the three that she had been fighting to flames. "Whoa that was weird," said Colin as he cracked another soldier in the face. Colin focused and time seemed to slow almost to a halt as he tripped the soldier in front of him and then kicked him in mid air sending him into the wall leaving an indent in the wall the man sticking in it. "We've got to clear them out before the captain gets here, keep fighting." Colin jumped in the air doing a mid air roundhouse kick breaking the neck of the soldier he had hit. Tarra called up her hack screen again and used it to create a brick wall in front of the door so only the captain could get through easily.

"That should keep anymore from coming in!" Colin sent the last of the men flying out the window with a yokowakari throw. Colin took out his phone and called the captain.

"Yeah Captain where are you? We've cleared the room again."

"We're in the hallway on our way down to you now, I can see the brick walls tell Tarra to drop the brick wall Isaiah is with me and he won't be able to walk through it like I can." Colin nodded at Tarra and the wall dropped to the ground, not long after Isaiah and Brandan walked in.

"Alright I've got the disk get it done," I threw the disk to Tarra and she grabbed it as she walked to the computer.

"Got it ok now lets get the hell outta here," said Tarra sitting at the computer. She slid the disc in and got back into the system. "Alright I found it, all I have to is upload it to the disk then we're home free. Tarra typed in several commands and the computer began the upload. "It should be done in a few minutes Captain. You should call Dan and tell him to head down to the car now." Brandan flipped open his phone and called Dan.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" asked Dan.

"Head down to the car now we're ready to go, and be careful."

"Ok!" Dan hung up the phone on the other end.

Dan put his phone in his pocket and stood up from his crouching position by the gun put on his glasses and walked out the door to start on his way down the building. He walked out of the room, the hallway was clear so he made his way to the elevator swiftly. Dan stepped into the elevator, the door closed and he hit the down button, as the elevator started to descend he stood in wait against the front wall. Gun in hand he waited for the door to open, thinking what was he going to do if there were fifty men at the bottom. The doors to the elevator opened and he swiftly did a sweep keeping his gun trained toward the opening and got to the other side. From what he could tell there was nothing there to fear. Dan cautiously stepped out into the room and stayed against the wall moving swiftly towards the door, when he heard.

"Get him there he is!" After that all Dan heard was the sound of gunfire, he turned to see where it was as he focused and began to dodge the bullets flipping around and jumping off the walls. He fired back at the six men that were behind him, hitting two of them, he would have to get rid of them before he went to the car so they wouldn't follow him. Dan jumped behind a pillar and checked his gun. He did a cartwheel to the next pillar on one hand firing his gun and taking out two more of the men.

"Get him men, extreme measures!" Dan saw a grenade role across the ground and turned to run away from it and toward the door when the grenade exploded. The shockwave from the explosion knocked Dan to the ground he covered his head and ducked as he realized he was out of ammunition. Dan got to his feet and ran right at the officers. They started firing their guns again, the bullets whipped by him as he focus and dodged the bullets, running as fast as he could. He quickly made it over to them and jumped at one of them kicking him and knocking him to the ground, as the man fell Dan kicked him and sent him sliding across the floor tripping the other man who was left. Dan ran over to him as he tried to get up, and Dan broke his neck the other one didn't seem to move. Realizing the coast was clear Dan made a break for the car. He jumped in the driver's seat and waited for the others quietly, he laid back in the seat to try and keep unnoticed.

The upload had just finished on the computer and Tarra slid the disk out of the machine.

"We're good to go Captain," she said, smirking.

"Isaiah, you should take the disk with you, if there is any trouble escaping you can still take off and make sure the mission is complete," Brandan instructed. Isaiah walked over and took the disk from Tarra.

"Let's role," he said walking through the door. The others followed Isaiah out into the hall and to the elevator. Colin brought up the rear with Isaiah and Tarra in the middle and Brandan at point, all with guns drawn.

"Stay alert people we need to get this drop to Niobe," said Brandan. They walked quickly and cautiously to the elevator and stepped inside. Brandan took out his phone and called Parker. "Parker, is the elevator clean?" he asked.

"They are moving to intercept you right now, they're getting into formation, get against the wall. I think they'll shoot when the doors open." Brandan got against the wall and signaled for the others to do the same. "They're also equipped for extreme force so they will probably be using grenades, that's all I can tell you for now Captain, see you when you get back." Brandan put his phone back in his coat, the elevator came to a halt making a dinging noise. The door slowly slid open and sure enough a gas grenade came flying in, Colin looked at Brandan then at the gas-spewing grenade and picked it up hurling it out into the lobby back at the forces.

This sent everyone into action Isaiah ran out and headed for the door while Brandan, Tarra and Colin jumped out into the lobby with their guns hurling bullets.

"Get them extreme measures team!" yelled the Commander. One of the soldiers attempted to block Isaiah's exit route, Isaiah ran at the man as fast as he could in mid focus and jumped kicked the man in the head, breaking his neck and flying right over him. Isaiah made a quick exit leaving the others behind. Brandan rolled on the ground and watched as Isaiah flew out the door.

"Good boy," he whispered. Suddenly one of the men ran up to him and through a punch. Brandan grabbed his hand and smiled. "Good try." With that said Brandan wrapped the mans arm around his head and pulled it so hard that it broke.

Colin dodged a bullet and ran at the man who fired it. Colin grabbed him and bashed his head off the wall and dropped him to the ground. Tarra brought up her code screen and used her most difficult hack she had learned turning all the men to stone.

"Whoa," said Colin just as he punched one shattering his head.

"Good work Tarra. Come on guys we got to get to the car and get the hell outta here." The others took off running on the way to the car.

Isaiah had just got to the cars, Dan sat up at the sound of someone coming.

"Did they get the drop?" he asked. Isaiah took out the disk.

"It's right here." Isaiah got in the car and took out his phone and called Parker.

"Operator!"

"Yeah Parker are they ok back there?"

"They're on there way to the car right now they should be there in a few seconds." Just then they heard the engine to the Mustang start up and looked over Colin was sitting in the drivers seat. He looked over at them and gave them a stupid smile as the captain and Tarra jumped in.

"All right guys try to stay together, Parker is gonna send you the directions to where we need to be once you get on the highway," said Brandan. Dan started the engine.

"Good luck we're headin onto the main highway."

Both cars pulled out and sped down the city streets all around them was silent for now but they knew it wouldn't be like this for long. Colin looked at Brandan unsure.

"We're going to the highway, the stuff I've read says. . ."

"Yes I know but don't worry we'll make it." We pulled into the highway with Dan right behind us.

"Let him get in front of you, he needs to get away." I hooked my phone into the car radio so we could be directly linked to Parker.

"Colin I'm sending you the location now," said Parker. Colin nodded and kept focusing on his driving. Dan pulled up passed us and waved as he went by. "Captain I'm reading several agents in the area, be ready." The highway was extremely crowded with other vehicles, trucks, cars, SUV's, and transport trucks were as far as the eye could see. We could here sirens coming from a distance.

"Ok guys we're gonna have to get the top off the car. Tarra you take the back clamp and Colin and I will take the two up here." Colin and I both put our hand on the clamps and Tarra got ready to release the back clamp. "On my mark guys. . . 1,2,3, go!" In sync all three of us hit the clamps releasing the roof and sending it flying off. I hopped in the back seat and took the large box off the bottom of the floor. "Colin you just drive leave the rest to us ok." I opened the box to reveal two large mountable assault rifles. "Grab one," I said looking at Tarra as I took one out and began to mount it. Tarra grabbed one quickly lifted to the side and mounted it to the back of the mustang like I had just done. I made sure I had complete control of the gun being able to turn it both ways easily and Tarra did the same. It hadn't been a few seconds later and we could see about seven cops cars pulling up on us, they had began shooting at us. Tarra and I began shooting at them back. "Tarra try and aim for the tires it'll take them out quicker." Tarra nodded looking back into the scope and opening fire. I kept firing and shortly there were several explosions as the cop cars crashed. Just then an agents car came into site with two agents. "We've got agents incoming guys keep sharp!" The agents weaved there way through traffic and quickly caught up to us. Tarra and I both fired at the car, they fired back leaving holes all up the side of the car. We fired but the car wouldn't seem to blow up it was full of bullet holes. We came to a tunnel and everything was slightly darker, making it almost hard to see. One of the agents got out of the car and got on top of the roof.

"He's gonna jump over here!" yelled Colin. I stood up balancing myself on the back of Colin's chair. The agent jumped toward the car and I jumped into the air, time seemed to slow down as I twirled around in the air, the agent came close and my foot hit him in the chest and sent him flying into a wall, soon he was out of site.

I got back down into the chair and took my gun back in hand. Colin started to drive faster and began to weave through the traffic, the agents and police weren't far behind.

"Can you guys get them off me?" asked Colin, sounding nervous.

"We're trying, it's not that easy," said Tarra. Just then a cop car attempted to ram them off the road, Colin turned the wheel hard right to compensate and push against them, both Brandan and Tarra focused their gun fire on the cop car. Another one tried to block them off from the front. Colin swerved to avoid them and went even faster getting passed them just as the car that rammed them from the side exploded.

"Colin just keep away from them, go as fast as you need to!" Colin hit the accelerator as hard as he could and the car jolted forward as the speedometer began to move up faster.

Dan looked into his rear view mirror and could see that the others were having trouble, but he new that there was nothing he could do so he just sped up.

"I hope they make it out ok," said Isaiah.

"They will, don't worry, I know they will," said Dan confidently. Isaiah looked out the window and noticed a driver in one of the other cars turned into an agent.

"Holy shit!" Isaiah took out his gun and started firing at the agent, the agent dodged the bullets and climbed on top of the roof of the car. "Oh no, he's gonna jump over here."

"Isaiah, you have to get out of here! I'll handle the agent," A transport truck pulled up beside them, "Jump onto that truck." Just then the agent jumped and landed on the hood of the car. Isaiah focused as hard as he could, jumped out the window and ran up the trailer of the huge transport. Isaiah watched as Dan swerved and the agent fell off loosing his balance on the hood.

"Whew," Isaiah wiped his forehead in relief. He turned to walk the other way but fell over as he walked right into an agent that was right in front of him. "Oh no." The agent gave him an evil grin and stepped toward him.

"I believe you have something we want," said the agent, "Give it to me now and you will live, we can spare your friends as well. All you have to do is hand me that little package." Isaiah got to his feet and looked at the agent with his head cocked to the side, he cracked a smile.

"You know I really get a kick out of you agents. You come after us seemingly appearing out of nowhere and just expect us to give in to you simply because almost every rebel who has ever fought an agent has died," Isaiah gestured with his hands, "But about ninety-five percent of us live when we run!" Isaiah quickly bounded to the next car and then to another, the agent close behind. Isaiah focused as hard as he could and ran along the top of several cars and trucks. Dan sped up beside him in the car and he jumped in the side window. "Go get away from him, before he jumps on the car again!" Isaiah started shooting at the agent as Dan sped away. Suddenly the agent got shot from a different angle and fell into the traffic, Isaiah looked behind him and the mustang pulled up beside them. Colin, Brandan and Tarra waved at them and they both pulled into the exit. Isaiah took out his phone. "Parker is the exit clean?" he asked.

"You're all good to go Isaiah. You're almost home," said Parker over the radio. Both of the cars pulled into an empty parking lot where the exit was located, a pay phone in the lot.

"Ok guys lets go," said Brandan as the phone started ringing. They all walked up to the phone still keeping watch for anything suspicious around them. "Isaiah you first." Isaiah smiled and nodded at the rest of them as he picked up the phone, Isaiah vanished as he put the phone to his ear. Brandan nodded at Tarra as he put the phone back on the hook. Tarra walked over and the phone started to ring again, she picked up and put it to her ear vanishing. Brandan hung up the phone again and nodded to Colin.

"Your turn, you did good man, great first performance." Colin waited for the phone to ring and picked up putting it to his ear. As he disappeared Dan walked up next assuming and put the phone back on the hook. "By all means." Dan smiled and picked up the phone as it rang. Brandan put the phone back on the hook and waited for it to ring. It rang and as he picked up he took one last look around and put the phone to his ear. An agent vehicle pulls up and two get out of the car.

"We were too late," said one in a deep voice.

"Send in the sentinels, they will take care of them," said the other putting a hand up to his ear-piece.


	23. The Drop Off

Chapter 23: The Drop Off

I opened my eyes and sat up as Isaiah pulled the plug from my neck.

"Good going team, you all did great," I said walking over to the operators station.

"Captain we're not out of the fire yet take a look at this," said Parker. On his screen was the proximity alarm viewer re-routed. I looked at it, it showed that there was a swarm of sentinels on an attack course. I looked at Dan and he glanced at the screen, seeing the screen instantly Dan took off for the navigation deck.

"I'm on it," he said on his way up.

"Captain should we man the turrets?" asked Colin.

"Go to the weapons deck you guys, don't fire at anything yet I will give the signal. But we should be able to get to a spot to use the E.M.P. before they get into range." Colin and the others ran to the weapons deck and took their posts and Brandan went to the top deck to help fly the ship.

Colin sat in his post next to Tarra, she looked over at him with a worried look on her face, he gave her a reassuring smile and turned to look into his viewer.

"You guys think we will be able to make it to a place without firing a single round?" asked Isaiah.

"I certainly hope so," said Tarra.

"Yeah we might need the ammo for more dangerous situations. We're gonna be out here for a long time so we need to conserve everything as much as we can," explained Parker.

"Well after this all I want is a good meal and some sleep would be nice," said Colin.

"Jeez Colin you've been sleeping for twenty years you would think you'd gotten enough of it after all that," said Tarra. They each put on a headset and turned them on.

"Ok Captain, just give the word and we'll blow them away." They each watched as the ship flew through the tunnels, the sentinels were still a distance away, they were gaining fast.

"Come on Danny, fly," whispered Tarra. The ship was flying incredibly fast but the sentinels were catching up quick.

"Um Captain, are you watching these things?" asked Isaiah.

"Don't worry I can see them but were almost at the safe spot, don't worry everything is under control guys," said Brandan over the headset. One of the sentinels had gotten in reach and clung to the hall.

"Hold steady guys!" Colin watched as the machine came onto the ship and got right in front of his viewer.

"Holy shit!"

"Colin don't worry they're through like twenty feet of armor. This ship is one of the most heavily armored in the fleet," said Parker. The ship began to slow down as they approached the spot. All the sentinels clung to the hall instantly starting their laser cutters; the ship came to a halt and sat down.

"EMP charged and ready!" Just then the ship went dark and the EMP fired, they listened as each of the sentinels fell against the hull making clunking noises as they hit the cold armor of the ship. "I told you we'd make it," said Brandan in a clearly relieved voice, "Ok well guys I'm getting a little hungry so why don't we go grab a bite then we'll contact Niobe in the morning."

"Sounds good," said Colin.

"Good for me," said Tarra. They each took off their headsets and got up to head to the table in the residence deck.

They all walked to the residence deck and went to the table where they each grabbed a bowl and lined up at the spout. Tarra placed her bowl under the spout and pulled the lever, the food they lived on during their time away from Zion poured into the bowls. The food was a mixture of complex carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids having all the body needs and not going bad easily. Tarra walked over and took her place at the table, then Colin, Isaiah, and Parker. Brandan walked in and took up a plate.

"Man this stuff has got to be the hardest thing to get used to in the real world," said Isaiah taking some in a spoon and pouring it back in the bowl.

"Man you could suck this shit through a straw," Colin laughed. Colin ate a couple of spoonfuls and looked back up at the crew.

"Hey its exactly what we need though. It's the perfect protein supplement Colin," said Brandan. Colin shrugged his shoulders and kept eating. "I'm really impressed with the job you all did in the mission today." Brandan took a mouthful of his food.

"Captain, I'm so sorry about the disk, I really should of checked for it before I got out of the car," said Tarra.

"You're right you should of, you could of cost the drop and the mission would have been a total loss if you and Colin hadn't of been able to hold out," Brandan paused, "But it didn't and we pulled through ok so all is well and you'll know for next time." Tarra nodded.

"For sure." The crew went about eating their food. They did some routine maintenance checks on the ship, Parker kept watch on the ship for the night. At the dinner table Brandan had discussed the plan of attack for the next day, first they would get a hold of the Logos and then set up a meeting place with Niobe and Ghost.

Brandan arose out of bed and could feel that the rest of the crew was already up and about and going about their orders. He got out of bed and got dressed then headed to the main deck. Dan and Isaiah were in there usual stations and Tarra and Colin were on the broadcasting deck.

"Report Isaiah," he said.

"Well Captain, we've contacted the Logos and we're looking for a safe broadcast zone right now. Niobe and Ghost are gonna meet us in the old sewer treatment plant," explained Isaiah.

"Good work team," said Brandan surprised, "Have we got an ETA on a broadcasting zone yet Dan?"

"We're just about at the place I found, it will only be a few minutes," Dan continued on the course he had laid in,

"Tarra and Colin are working on getting the broadcast terminals ready for us, you should head down there Isaiah and I will join you in a minute." Brandan nodded to Dan and headed on his way down to the Broadcast deck.

Colin had just checked the last computer and walked over to the operators station, as Brandan walked in.

"Good morning Captain. We got all the terminals ready," he said. Tarra walked in from the adjoining room.

"The core is all in check, we're ready as soon as Dan gets us a broadcasting spot," she said.

"Is the meeting spot clear Parker?"

"It's good for now we should be fine," said Parker typing in a few commands. The ship stopped moving as Dan set them down.

"Alright Captain we're in place," came over the headset.

"We're on our way down Captain," said Isaiah. Colin and Tarra both sat down in a terminal and Parker walked over and jacked them in.

"Captain." Parker motioned to Brandan to sit down. He walked over and sat down in the chair and Parker hooked him in.

"I'm gonna wait and load you all in at once when they get down here." Isaiah and Dan walked through the door, Isaiah smiled as he saw that the others were hooked in.

"I see you guys have started without us, time for us to catch up eh Dan." Isaiah jumped into the seat and quickly fastened himself in with the leg straps. Dan shortly but less enthusiastically followed his example, Parker followed them and jacked them in.

"Ok now that we're all ready can you just hit the damn button, the needle is starting to itch," Colin squirmed.

"Ok guys just to let you all know, this should be pretty easy, just get there give them the package and get to the exit. You should be fine," explained Parker.

"Alright just hit the god damn button man, please," said Colin. Parker typed in several commands and hit the enter key sending them each into the construct program.

"Ah, finally," said Colin, scratching the back of his neck.

"Oh stop your complaining, you whiner," said Dan checking his gun. Colin took out his gun and did the same.

"Alright guys here we go," said Brandan as the program began to load into the matrix. The two cars and the warehouse loaded all around them. "Alright Isaiah, Colin you're with me. Tarra, Dan you guys go together and follow behind." They piled into their expected vehicles and pulled out of the warehouse. Colin drove the mustang and Brandan sat in the passenger seat with Isaiah in the back.

"Colin the meeting place is marked on the map I trust you'll be able to get us there," said Brandan looking at Colin over his sunglasses.

"Aye Captain, we'll get there, the map says were not really that far away so I wouldn't worry," said Colin. Brandan sat back in his seat and looked out the window as they drove down the crowded city street. To watch all these people go about there daily lives was strange, knowing that they know absolutely nothing of the real world and of the people who were fighting for their freedom. Some of the places they passed were places that he and Isaiah used to go to together for supper or just to shop or hang out.

"Hey Isaiah," he pointed, " you remember that place?" Isaiah looked to see that Brandan was pointing at a restaurant that they used to eat at quite frequently.

"Yeah of course, how could I forget they have the best salads in town." Isaiah smiled and took out his small dagger just looking it over to kill time.

Colin pulled the car into an alley beside a large abandoned building.

"Here we are guys, lets go." Colin shut off the car and opened his door. Brandan got out and looked for Niobe's Thunderbird and it was nowhere to be found. Isaiah got out just as the Acura pulled up and shut off. Brandan pulled out his phone as they started to walk into the building and put it up to his ear.

"Parker are they here yet or have they been held up?"

"No Captain they are fine, check your clock you guys are still a bit early."

"Ok good then I will talk to you later." Brandan put his phone away as they walked down a hallway and eventually into a manhole that had been covered by the building and was hidden by a rug. They each dropped down the manhole and Colin sealed it off. Brandan looked at Colin.

"When they get here I want you and Isaiah to go watch the main door."

"Well do you want us to go now and keep watch for them?" he asked.

"Actually you're right, yeah go now then call me if anything happens." Colin and Isaiah nodded and went back up the manhole to keep watch at the main doors.

Dan, Tarra and Brandan waited for Niobe to arrive and shortly her and Ghost walked through the back doors.

"Your just on time," I said checking my watch. Niobe smiled at me and walked over to the table in the middle of the room.

"Of course did you expect otherwise?" she said. Tarra, Dan and I walked over to the table and I took out the package.

"Here it is this is what we're here for," I said. I sat the package down on the table.

"Great going Brandan, you and your crew are to be commended for your work in retrieving the package," said Niobe as she picked up the package.

"Have you gotten my next orders yet or will they be sent directly to me?" I asked.

"For now." Ghost interrupted her in mid sentence.

"Captain wait," he said.

"What is it Ghost? Is there something wrong?" Ghost walked over to one of the other entrances to the sewer system. Ghost swung the door open and pulled a strange looking pale-faced man out by the arm. The man had a gun in his hand and Ghost quickly and easily disabled him and pinned him to the floor with the gun trained on his forehead.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" said Ghost firmly.

"Shit I didn't even hear him, Ghost how did you know he was there?" asked Dan.

"I refuse to tell you anything?" said the pale-faced creature.

"He's one of the Merovingian's exiles that much is obvious," said Niobe.

"The Merovingian? Who's that?" asked Tarra. Niobe looked at Tarra then the man.

"The Merovingian is one of the most sinister, evil programs ever created in the matrix. He knows everything that goes on around us, mainly because of these little goons that he dispenses all over the place." Niobe picked up a small sharp piece of wood and walked over to the man on the floor.

She knelt down beside him and placed the piece of wood at his heart.

"Either you tell me what you were doing here or you get a deep gouge in your chest." Niobe pressed the sharp edge of the wood into his chest slightly causing him to bleed. "Well." The man squirmed slightly as he began to talk.

"Alright already, the Merovingian found out that the feds were looking for a special drop that was to be dropped off here, my orders were to find out what is was for and to report it back to him." Niobe looked at Ghost then back at the man.

"What should we do with him Captain?" he asked. Niobe was silent for a few short seconds.

"The Merovingian he should start doing his own dirty work or at least hire someone with enough brains not to get caught!" Niobe forced the wooden stake through his heart and he started shaking violently. Niobe stood up and watched him for a second then returned her attention to the others again.

"As I was saying, your new orders are to complete your crew compliment and then report to me. We will then commence on our attack on the mainframe."

"Alright." I nodded my head to her.

"Well if that's all we needed to discuss then I see no reason for us to stay here any longer than necessary."

"Yeah your right lets go, get to your exit and good luck," said Niobe.

Ghost and Niobe walked back through the door they came from and Tarra, Dan and Brandan went up the stairs to where Colin and Isaiah were keeping watch.

"Did everything go ok?" asked Colin. Brandan nodded to him and walked through the door.

"Everyone head back to the exit were heading back to get ready for the next mission," said Brandan. They each walked to their cars and got in, this time Dan and Tarra took the lead and Colin followed behind. Isaiah got on the phone to Parker.

"Parker is there any suspicious activity in the area?" he asked.

"No it looks like you guys are pretty much in the clear. The phone will be ringing when you get there." Isaiah hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket, they kept driving.

"So what's the next mission Brandan?" asked Colin. Brandan thought for just a few seconds.

"I think our next mission is Tabatha. . ." Colin nodded his head and kept driving.

"So who comes after that any idea?" Colin had an expecting tone in his voice.

"Saba is after Tabatha don't worry I thought all of that ahead of time." We pulled into the warehouse and got out of the car. The hard-line on the table was already ringing as we walked up to it. Tarra picked up the phone and placed it to her ear she disappeared and the phone was left swinging in the wind. Brandan hung up the phone and looked at Isaiah as it started to ring again.

"Isaiah your turn." Isaiah quickly picked up the phone and put it to his ear as his image vanished Dan caught the phone and hung it up.

"I'll go next," he said. The phone rang and he put it to his ear, Brandan hung up the phone.

"After you man," said Colin as the phone started to ring. Brandan picked it up and put it to his ear and vanished.

Colin slowly picked up the phone and put it on the hook, before it started to ring he looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Meanwhile outside the matrix Parker was watching the screen and just as he sent Colin the signal the phone exploded.

"Oh no, Captain we have a problem here," he said. Brandan rushed over and looked over his shoulder at the screen.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Agents, they traced us!" Back inside the matrix Colin had turned to see why the phone exploded and turned to see a Lexus and two agents standing in the doorway to the warehouse.

"Oh my god," he whispered to himself. Colin looked at the large window to the warehouse he ran as fast as he could take himself and bounded through the high window.

He landed on the ground outside and took out his phone as he started to run.

"Captain what do I do?" he asked panicked.

"Colin stay calm and don't panic, you have to focus, we're looking for the nearest exit for you right now, just focus." Colin kept the phone to his ear as he ran, gun shots were fired from behind and he could feel the bullets whisking by him. He dived and rolled behind a nearby building.

"Have you found anything yet?"

"Yes, it's in the top floor of the apartment building your leaning against, the entrance is only a few feet away from you." Colin looked to his left and seen the entrance, he immediately took to running. Colin kicked the door open and kept running passing several onlookers along the way.

"What's your hurry?" yelled an old man he passed. Colin came to a stair well and began running up the well circling breathing heavy, the phone still in his hand.

"Colin the phone is actually on top of the building it's a maintenance phone, good luck I know you can do this." Colin hung up the phone and burst through a door that led him to the last floor of the building. He could see the steps that led to the roof at the end of the hall with a red exit light at the top of the doorway. He darted down the hall and slammed the door behind him as he could here the footsteps behind him. He ran through the door way and up the steps bursting his way through the door at the top.

Once he got on the other side of the door he could hear the phone ringing but there were also two swat soldiers walking towards him. Colin focused and took into the first one with a serious of low landing punches. One last hit in the gut sent the man leaning over, he focused his hardest and time slowed almost to a halt as Colin delivered a massive uppercut send the man hurling through the air and off the building. The other man looked at him and turned to run when he fell to the ground and began to turn into an agent as his body warped. Colin darted for the phone as he realized what was happening, he quickly picked up the phone and put it too his ear just as a bullet flew into the wall right next to the phone. He pulled the cord to its full length and jumped into the air as high as he could vanishing in mid air.

Colin opened his eyes as the connector was pulled from his neck, he sat up quickly and gasped for air.

"That was close," he said breathing heavily.

"I knew you could do it, great job," said Brandan, smiling. Colin smiled and collapsed forward on himself making a strange moaning laughter.

14


	24. The New Addition

Chapter 24: (Beginning Season 2) The New Addition

Chapter 24: (Beginning Season 2) The New Addition

I sat in front of the code screen starring at Saba with Colin by my side. We had been watching her for awhile, trying to figure out what was the best way to get her out of the matrix. Colin suggested that we use the direct approach, go in and free her immediately tearing her from the matrix quickly with no process.

"But what if you go in and she doesn't believe the story, then the agents take over her and we loose her forever?" Colin shook his head in agreement.

"Good point, very good point," he said.

"I'm thinking that next time she is at her computer we send her a message, you can do it." Colin nodded his head and sat down at the computer. "Captain if you don't mind I would like to watch her alone."

"I understand." I walked away knowing how much Colin loved her and also knowing how hard it was for him being away from her. I left the broadcast zone and headed upstairs to the navigation deck. Dan was sitting in the pilot chair and we were flying through one of the ducts just to stay away from the patrol units.

Saba had just gotten out of the shower with a towel around her. She put on a pair of jeans and a sports bra and sat in front of her mirror. The sun was shining through her bedroom window; it was warm on her skin. She dried her hair and began to run a comb through it, her computer desk was visible in the mirror and she noticed the screen turn on. She turned to look at the screen to be sure she wasn't seeing things.

"What the heck?" she said to herself. She stood up and walked over to her desk shutting off the screen. She went back to her mirror and her hair, she put on a shirt and buttoned it up the front, the computer turned on again as she walked by it. Writing began to show up acrossed the screen. Saba, this is Colin and no you are not dreaming. I miss you a great deal, and I know you feel the same for me, but I am in a very different world now, the real world. Have you ever felt like you were dreaming when you were wide awake? If you let me and trust me like I know you do I can bring you into this world as well but you must trust me. . . Saba looked at the screen one last time and walked from the room with tears in her eyes, she was on her way to work at the art gallery and she was sitting in her car with her mother, Maboobay.

"What's wrong you look troubled today Saba?" she asked.

"I'm alright just a little tired. I had another dream about Colin." Maboobay shook her head slightly.

"Ah yes that was a great tragedy that he went missing, we all miss him. But no one as much as you. . ." They drove the rest of the way into town in silence.

Colin watched Saba look out the car window for the rest of the drive with tears in her eyes and started to well up slightly.

"Don't worry Saba, it won't be long now," he said to himself. She got out of the car and walked into the art gallery, when Colin got up and went to the navigation deck to discuss a strategy on how to get her out. He walked onto the deck and Isaiah was in the navigators chair with Brandan next to him.

"So Colin what's the word, have you decided what you think would be the best course of action?" asked Brandan.

"Honestly Captain, I think we should go straight for it and just extract her quickly no visits. I go in and get her, administer the firewall and take her to the motel, and you guys can take it from there . . . how does that sound?" explained Colin.

"I trust your judgment and if you think that is the best course of action then lets go for it. When do you want to do it Colin?" There was a short silence as Colin contemplated.

"The sooner the better is all I can say, you set the time though Captain it is your decision after all." Brandan looked at Isaiah.

"Set down in the nearest broadcast point and then head down to get the equipment calibrated." Isaiah nodded and Brandan got up and walked out of the navigation deck.

Colin got up and went back down to the broadcast room. Parker was already there and sitting at the operators screen.

"The Captain just called me, the others will be here shortly, are you ready? I guess that the captain is just gonna send you and Isaiah to retrieve her, I've already told her to go to the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel. She seemed convinced that it was you talking to her so she went pretty easily." Colin nodded.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Colin walked over and began to set the computer system to the right broadcast frequency. Isaiah and Brandan walked through the door of the room and walked over to start setting the computer system.

"Colin the only thing I have to say to you is, be prepared for anything. Every time we go on a mission like this we never know what is going to happen because we never know who or what is watching us," said Brandan.

"Captain don't worry I am completely aware of what is going on around me inside the matrix my mind and body are one. . ." Colin hit the last few buttons on the terminal he was working on and it was completely configured. "Alright Captain I'm ready.

Colin sat in the chair and Tarra walked over to him to hook him in, Isaiah sat in the terminal next to him and Brandan hooked him up.

"Remember Colin, make sure she takes the pill before you give her the reason your there, Parker thinks that she is being monitored by the machines so she can't be told anything until she has the firewall in her software," explained Brandan. Colin nodded his head and Tarra shoved the jack into his neck. Colin opened his eyes and he was inside the construct program, Isaiah shortly appeared beside him.

"Ok guys," they could here Parkers voice all around them, "The time is about 8 p.m. inside the city and the room you are looking for in the hotel is on the main floor . . . oh ha! It's the girls bathroom so try not to be too noticeable." Isaiah rolled his eyes.

"Where are we gonna be loaded to?" he asked. "I'm sending you guys to the Scotia Bank entrance of Kings Place Mall. Good luck." Just then they were loaded into the bank standing in front of the bank machine.

"Alright here goes," said Colin as they walked out the door un-noticed. They walked out and there was very few people on the street and a few cars on the road at the stop light.

"Good, things look pretty quiet, shouldn't be any trouble at all," said Isaiah as they crossed the street.

"Let's walk down queen it'll be quieter I think," said Colin as they headed toward the royal bank. Isaiah and Colin walked on for several minutes passing several pedestrians, it was mid-November so the weather was fairly cold and the sky was dark. They walked under the streetlights, which provided the only light in the street other than the headlights of passing cars on the one-way street. They could see the hotel and Colin could feel himself getting anxious, in just a few hours he would be able to hold Saba again and feel her lips pressed against his, just then his phone rang and he quickly picked up.

"Yeah," he said being short and caught off guard.

"You guys need to hurry something is wrong."

"What the hell happened!" said Colin.

"Some of the Merovingians men have captured Saba, they are taking her out of the building now." Colin could see several men walking out of the building he could see Saba in one of there arms.

Isaiah took out his gun and looked at Colin, who had just put his phone in his pocket.

"Let's get'em!" He shouted as they took off as fast as they could to get to them. Colin ran up to the one holding her and as he got close he realized who it was.

"Caleb! What are you doing?" he shouted. The person holding Saba was Colin's former best friend and biggest competition, Caleb.

"I work for the Merovingian I don't know why but I have been ordered to take her to him." Isaiah took into a few of the others quickly striking them with a few focused attacks.

"Well, if that's the way it is then so be it, but you'll have to get through me first!" yelled Colin full of rage. Colin swiftly took out his gun and fired at Caleb. Time seemed to slow down as he fired the gun seeing the bullets whip through the air in a circular pattern. The bullet collided with him and Caleb suddenly turned to nothing but a ghostly image as the bullet passed right through him. "What the?" said Colin confused.

"The Merovingian also gave me a few specials powers to combat people like you with."

"Let her GO!" Colin rushed at him when suddenly some of the other men got between them and Caleb jumped in an SUV with Saba.

"Colin help me," yelled Saba as they pulled away in the SUV. "Saba!" Colin began to focus his hardest and knocked the two men away from him and into a wall and ran after the vehicle. Isaiah knew that Colin wouldn't be able to catch the vehicle if they got to the main road just down the street so he began to focus his hardest and took off after the vehicle.

"Colin I'll try to slow them down. Try to keep up." Isaiah passed Colin and ran up behind the vehicle and jumped on the roof.

Thinking quickly, Isaiah took out his gun and began to shoot into the drivers seat, it didn't seem to affect the SUV's speed. Isaiah had emptied his clip into the roof of it. As he got the last bullet off the car swerved sending him flying into a brick wall and turning onto the main road.

"Damnit!" yelled Colin. He ran over to Isaiah as he looked around noticing that they had made a lot of commotion. Colin was holding back the tears as he helped Isaiah to his feet.

"Come on we better get to the exit before any agents come." Colin took out his phone and put it to his ear.

"Yeah Parker, where is the nearest exit to here."

"It's in the Beaverbrook the payphone that is in the lobby by the bathrooms, but be careful you guys have drawn a lot of negative attention, there's a bit of activity in the area."

"OK." Colin put the phone away and put Isaiah's arm over his shoulder to help him to the hotel that was now a few meters down the street. "Come on dude, you've gotta focus, we're almost home." Isaiah started to get his focus back to himself and started walking on his own.

"I'm ok now let's go." They walked the rest of the way to the hotel. As they entered they could here a cop car pull up and also here the phone ringing.

"Isaiah go!" Isaiah ran to the phone and picked it up placing it at his ear, he looked back at Colin and disappeared. Colin walked over to it cautiously and placed it back on the hook keeping his gun pointed down the hall. The phone began to ring and Colin quickly picked up and put it to his ear, vanishing.


	25. The Plan

Chapter 25: The Merovingian

Chapter 25: The Plan

Colin opened his eyes as Tarra pulled the connector from his neck, and sat up.

"Someone tell me what the hell just happened back there man, why did we see that coming how did they know we were after her?" he said in an angry panic. Brandan and Parker were looking at the code screen to follow the SUV.

"I think they tapped our phone lines once you were inside, they are taking her back to one of the Merovingians clubs. Club Transient, its in the club district of the main city," said Parker.

"So what do we do now Brandan?" asked Colin.

"We plan our attack. Parker and I will devise something just go rest for now," answered Brandan.

"That's it, that's all you can tell me." Colin was angry at the fact that they hadn't devised a back up plan if such a scenario should arise. "I'm gonna have to train I can't just sit around and wait. Tarra send me back into the training program. Isaiah stood up out his chair and started to walk over to Colin.

"I'll monitor him on the secondary system, just in case you guys need the main computer to run simulations." Isaiah sat down at the small terminal behind the main view screen and turned on the system.

"Alright then," The Captain agreed with him.

Tarra walked back over to Colin and jacked him back into the system.

"Whenever you're ready Isaiah, send me into the fighting program, put the fighters up to hardest difficulty and we will go from there." Isaiah nodded and sent Colin into the training program.

Colin opened his eyes, he was in the construct program in his residual self image. As the program started to load the white surroundings of the construct started to change to that of a open road in the middle of the city. Colin looked around him and there was three strange looking men walking toward him. Colin took up a pose and got ready to attack. Suddenly the three men jumped into the air and landed on three sides of him grabbing him by the arms. Colin immediately took to action and started by jumping into the air kicking the three of them away from him. Colin ran at the first one and attacked dead on swinging and ducking as he needed to. The other two quickly rushed up behind him and started to grabbed onto him by the shoulders holding on to him. They pulled him back and held onto him while the other one started to try to attack him. Using the two men as balancers Colin pushed himself into the air and wrapped his legs around the man's neck and twisted himself to break it. Colin swiftly elbowed one of the guys that was holding onto him as he hit the ground and then through the other over his shoulders into a wall. As the guy he elbowed stumbled back he attacked him with a swift punch combo hitting him with one last blow breaking his neck.

"Ok Isaiah high difficulty plus one now make it harder, keep'em coming." Three more men ran into sight and jumped into the air flying at Colin in a kick. Colin ducked and grabbed the guys foot and slammed him into the ground instantly killing him. The other landed right in front of him and took a swing. Colin ducked and tripped him then punched him before he even hit the ground. The next one hit Colin in the side with a quick jab, he responded with a roundhouse kick combo sending the man hurling through the air away from him. "More, harder!!" Colin yelled as he started to release his rage. Isaiah sent more in and upped the difficulty level again to plus two. Three more men came running in, faster this time. As the first of the three got into reach Colin jumped into the air and time seemed to slow down as he kicked the man in the face hitting him into the wall. As he fought and the men got stronger Colin began to focus his hardest on them delivering some of the most devastating attacks he had used since he had been free. The next man Colin grabbed and attacked with the tsurikomigoshi throw stepped on the man's chest and broke his arm. The third man jumped into the air and hit Colin in the chest with a power kick forcing him to stumble back a bit. The man came at him again, barely giving him time to recover and attacked with a full fisted combo. Colin got his focus back just as the man took his last swing and countered it, grabbing his fist and twirling around. The man was flipped in mid air and hit the ground, as he did Colin jabbed his throat killing him instantly.

"Is that the best they can do come on now. MORE!" Colin became more and more infuriated at the thought of Saba being captured by the Merovingian. Isaiah again upped the difficulty level and then sent in three more men. Colin seen the men running at him but instead of waiting he ran at them himself. Colin jumped into the air and did a hand stand on the closest ones head. He twisted himself with his legs and easily broke his neck. He landed on the ground and the man fell dead behind him. Colin grabbed the next closest one before it had a chance to react and squeezed its face letting out a call of anger and the mans face shattered in his hand. He then quickly turned and hit the other in the face dead on forcing his neck back all the way and killed it. Colin was fighting with the one thing he didn't use vary often . . . rage. "Alright!" yelled Colin breathing heavily. "Where's the next one?" Isaiah upped the difficulty level and sent in an agent.

Colin seen the agent walk into sight and straighten up his tie. "Only human," it said as it started into action. The agent was quickly in front of Colin and attacked him swifter than Colin could of imagined. The agent was almost on the same level as the ones inside the matrix but it could not kill him. It hit him several times in the torso then finished with an uppercut that sent him flying toward the wall. Colin regained himself mid-air and grounded his feet against the wall propelling himself toward the agent. He landed and pulled out his dagger and started to swipe as fast as he could. Swinging left, right and left again, only hitting the air. The agent kicked him and knocked him down again Colin quickly got to his feet and took to the air. Once above the agent who watched him in mid air in the middle of his moonsault Colin took the knife and slashed at the agents head almost cutting his skull in two. As he landed the agent fell to the ground in a bloody mess and Colin stood with his dagger in hand, dripping blood.

"Do you wanna keep goin, or do you think you've had enough for now?" Colin heard Isaiah all around him. Colin put his knife away.

"Move in to difficulty four. . ."

Colin continued his training while Brandan, Parker and Tarra worked on a plan to free Saba.

"We've got to look at the outline of the club first, I think before we do anything," said Tarra.

"She's right bring it up," agreed Brandan. Parker brought up a schematic of the actual bar and also a projection of what the bar looked like. "Send Tarra and I into the construct program and make an exact replica of the bar as it would be when its empty." Brandan walked over to a chair, Tarra followed and Dan jacked the both of them in.

"Alright now lets work something out," said Parker as he sent them in. Brandan opened his eyes and he and Tarra we're standing inside the Construct program.

"Alright load us up," he called out. As he stopped talking the bar began to load all around them.

They looked around they could see a huge dance floor of which they were standing in the middle of, a vast bar that spanned about fifty feet there was a stairwell that led up to the VIP area most likely where the Merovingian would be sitting. The bathrooms were off to the left of the dance floor and the entrance elevator was only a few feet away.

"Wow doesn't look like we really have much to work with in the lines of terrain I don't think this will be much of a planned mission really. We more or less bust in and get out. . ." said Tarra.

"That's the way it's starting to look, Parker project the people that might be here on a busy night." Parker project the crowd that the club would usually turn out, the place was packed wall to wall, it was tighter than a can of sardines. "Should we just go in and mingle and try to get close to the Merovingian. . ." said Brandan thinking aloud.

"I can make you fit in guys," said Parker, "If that's what you need." The captain was silent for a few seconds looking at the crowd, they were mostly dressed in leather fetish clothing, slightly S&M.

"Hmm what's your input Parker, what would you advise?"

"Well I can think of one situation before where I had to deal with the Merovingian, we lost one of our crew. It was on a ship that's long out of commission by now. We had to go in and try to retrieve a broadcast drop from him at one of his other clubs and he is by no means reasonable," Parker explained.

"And how did you guys go about it, how many members of the crew did you send in?"

"Well Captain Branaugh went in himself along with his first officer and one of his regular crew. They pretty much had to do the same thing that you guys are thinking of the club wasn't much different. All of them have the same layout."

"Parker I've got an idea, we're goin to run a simulation to see how this goes. Load up an exact replica of Colin and Isaiah and put us in appropriate clothing outside the bar." The replica of Colin and Isaiah loaded and they were suddenly standing outside the bar. Tarra and Brandan's clothing changed to fit in with the crowd and they walked up to the front entrance in the outside parking garage. Brandan looked at Tarra and put his hand on the door. "Let's go." They opened the door and walked in, as they entered they were confronted by a bouncer.

"Can I see some I.D please?" The bouncer was a large bald man in a long leather trench coat. They each took out the altered I.D's they had been given along with the clothing and the bouncer checked it over. "Clear, go on in." They walked passed the bouncer and went into the entrance elevator.

"Alright so far so good guys," Brandan nodded at the others as the elevator began to descend. They could hear the music below them as the elevator got closer.

The elevator stopped shortly, the doors opened and they walked into the already packed dance floor. There was strobe lights flashing and green laser lamps flashing from the ceiling the bass was blasting from the speaker system and the music was so loud you could hardly hear yourself think.

"Blend in," said Brandan walking into the crowd and starting to dance. The others followed his example and walked into the crowd. The people on the dance floor were dancing and grinding with one another making it hard to get to the other side. The whole place was like one big bisexual love fest. One of the muscle men grabbed Isaiah and started to kiss him, Isaiah pulled away and smiled shaking his head. The guy shrugged his shoulders and moved on to the next person and kept dancing. Isaiah slowly made his way to the stairwell that led up to where the Merovingian was sitting. Brandan followed close behind the replica and went up the steps with him. At the top two large men stepped in front of them to stop them.

"What business do you have with HIM?" asked the one on the left.

"I am here to speak with him about something he has that we need," said Brandan. The man nodded to the other and he went to speak with the Merovingian. He spoke to the Merovingian and shortly returned.

"He will speak with you now," he said upon return. Both of the men pulled out guns and trained it on them. They slowly walked up to the Merovingian and he tilted his head and smirked.

"Speak now and speak quick, for I do not usually allow this," said Merovingian in a strong French accent.

"We want to know why you have taken Saba the girl from the Motel captive?"

"Ah yes the girl," The Merovingian looked into his whine glass, "You see the girl, she has been set with a special encoding. She has the ability to heal and I have harnessed this ability."

"We have come to retrieve her from you, would it be possible to make a trade?" The Merovingian smirked and sipped his wine.

"What could you possibly have that I might want?"

"Good question, Parker pause it," Brandan smiled and kinda laughed, "He's right what do we have that we could trade?"

"You could offer him fake access codes to the Zion mainframe computer. But you better make sure you get out before he notices that they are fake," suggested Parker.

"And how long do you think that will take?" There was a short silence.

"A few minutes is probably a good estimate." Tarra waved at Brandan from down in the crowd.

"Captain if you want I could create a distraction just as soon as you hand him the fake codes," she yelled.

"That's a good idea lets give it a try. Un-pause on my mark." Brandan got back into the position he was as Parker paused the simulation. "Mark." The simulation resumed with the Merovingian looking at Brandan in wait of an answer. "I have something that will give you great power over the machines," said Brandan.

"Oh and what is that?" he asked intrigued.

"Zion's access codes. . ." The Merovingian sat back in his seat with one eye brow perked.

"Hmm how am I to know that this is not some trick. You humans value your city and freedom over anything at all, foolishly." Brandan stood up and reached in his pocket, suddenly everyone standing around them pulled a gun and he froze.

"Geez guys relax he asked for proof let me give it to him. . . pause it." Everything froze again.

"Tarra if this happens, and I suspect it will I want you to project a dummy of your code screen in front of me, I will then enter a code making it look like I know what I am doing. As I hit the last button on the panel I need you to project a fake image of Zion's main frame. Alright?" instructed Brandan.

"Ok," said Tarra.

"Good." Brandan nodded, "Resume." The program took back to motion and Brandan pulled out his phone and pushed a button. The code screen popped up in front of him and he made it look like he was typing in the code. As he finished the code changed to that of Zion's mainframe image. "Is this the proof you needed?" The Merovingian looked the image over.

"Bring me ze girl!" The code screen went away as several men brought out a teary eyed Saba.

"Give them to me," he demanded. Brandan took out the envelope and started to pass it to him just as they were in the Merovingian's hand there was several bright flashes of light as fireworks were apparently set off in the club. Isaiah bounded off the balcony and Brandan grabbed Saba and jumped into the air and into the stunned crowd. Colin cleared the way as Brandan ran for the elevator where Tarra was standing in wait, the door already open. Brandan and Colin ran in but Isaiah had been held up. As the elevator doors began to close Isaiah ran toward them but was shot by one of the snipers before he could make it.

"Oh my god," said Tarra. The elevator doors closed and it began to ascend, Brandan and Tarra just looked at each other.

"It's only a simulation," said Brandan. Tarra nodded. The simulation stopped.

"From that point on it should be pretty clear sailing those big guys at the front shouldn't provide much resistance just be quick. And keep in mind that simulation is only one of the many possible outcomes, we may loose someone we may not but that is the risk you take every time you enter the matrix," explained Parker. "I'm going to pull you out now guys hang on." Tarra vanished and Brandan closed his eyes to get back to reality.

Brandan sat up in his chair as Parker took the jack from his neck.

"Isaiah is Colin still inside the training simulator?" he asked.

"Yeah, you should see him he's really kicking ass, he's all the way up to difficulty seven. He's channeling his rage into his attacks. It's really working for him," explained Isaiah.

"Alright well shut him off we're going to get ready to go now." Isaiah nodded.

Isaiah put on the headset and began to speak to Colin.

"Colin I am taking you out of there now, the captain says we're almost ready to go," he said.

"Alright when ever you're ready." Colin's voice could be heard from the earpiece. Isaiah hit the button and Colin opened his eyes in the chair, Isaiah walked over and pulled out the jack from his neck.

"Good job Colin. I've never seen anybody fight so hard." Colin looked at Isaiah with one eyebrow perked.

"Have you ever seen anyone that was fighting for there love before?" asked Colin not expecting a reply.

"Actually . . ." Colin jumped up out of the seat and walked over to the main broadcast seating then sat down.

"Ready when you are Cap." Parker walked over and jacked him in while Dan got Tarra jacked in. Brandan lay down in the seat and waited for Parker to jack him in. Isaiah sat down in one of the seats next to Brandan.

"Isaiah no, you're not coming with us this time," said Brandan.

"What why not?"

"The less of us that go this time the less chance there is that we will loose someone. Trust me I know what's best we went through the simulation."

"Alright," said Isaiah walking over to Brandan to jack him in,

"Good luck." Isaiah forced the jack into Brandan's neck. Parker hit the commands and loaded them into the construct program.

Brandan opened his eyes and they were inside the construct.

"Alright, guys Parker download Colin's instructions to him upon entry to the matrix place us within walking distance of the club and load us with appropriate clothing and I.D. so that we can get into the bar," said Brandan. Colin's eyes fluttered slightly as the information was downloaded to his mind. The environment began to piece together around them they were in a warehouse in the bar district of the main city. Brandan's phone rang and he picked up. "We're in."

"Good now just to let you know Captain there is a lot of gang activity in the area so try not to piss anyone off," said Parker.

"Noted." The captain put his phone back in his leather vest. "Alright let's go." They took to walking and went into the underground parking garage that would lead to the entrance elevator. They came to the lowest level in the parking garage and could see the entrance that was being guarded by two large bouncers. They walked up to the bouncers.

"Can we see some I.D please?" asked The Bouncer. Brandan nodded and they each pulled out an I.D and passed it to him. He looked each of them over and passed them back. "Alright go on in." The elevator door opened and the three of them stepped inside.

"Alright people get ready to blend," said Tarra adjusting her outfit. They could hear the music playing just like in the simulation the bass shaking the elevator.

"Alright I will talk to the Merovingian you two have your orders," said Brandan. The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened, they stepped into the crowd each heading in a different direction.

Tarra slowly danced her way toward the bathrooms the music was so loud that she could feel the vibrations from the bass hitting her body. One of the men grabbed her arm and pulled her into him, they began dancing along with the music. It had been a long time since Tarra had actually been to a bar even longer since she had danced. Colin had gone more toward the bar area of the bar, he kept an eye on Brandan who had already made it to the stairs to the Merovingian's private area. Brandan looked back into the crowd as he walked up the stairs to see where he and Tarra had positioned themselves and went on to talk to the guards.

"What business do you have with him?" asked the bouncer with a rifle.

"I need to speak with him about a trade, I have something he would be very interested in," said Brandan. The other bouncer went to speak with him while Brandan waited, he shortly returned and stepped aside.

"He will see you now," said the one that had returned. Brandan nodded and walked over to where the Merovingian was sitting.

"Make zis' quick human, consider your self lucky, I do not do zis' often," said The Merovingian in a strong French accent.

"I would like to know what you want with the girl you took from the motel," said Brandan.

"Ah yes ze' girl. You see she has a special encoded ability inside her to heal. I have harnessed zis' power for my own . . . personal use."

"I have come to retrieve her from you, would it be possible to make a trade?" The Merovingian smirked at him.

"What could you possibly offer me that I would want?"

"I have something let me show you." Brandan stood up and reached into his outfit pocket and pulled out a disc. The fake code screen appeared in front of him and he began pushing buttons, then the map appeared.

"Do you know what this is?"

"The Zion main-frame." The Merovingian's eyes widened at the site of the mainframe. "Bring ze girl!" he called out. Two large men brought Saba out and the code screen disappeared.

"So is it a deal?" Brandan asked.

"Yes now give me the codes."

"They are all on this disc." Brandan passed him the disc and as the disc hit the Merovingian's hand, Brandan jumped into action and grabbed the teary eyed Saba off her feet. Brandan quickly jumped the ledge and landed into the crowd close to Colin, several gunshots whisked by them and into the bodies of the dancers.

"GO GO GO!" Colin pushed there way through the crowd to get to the door to the elevator, where Tarra was already standing with the door open. They jumped into the elevator. Brandan got to his feet as the door closed and took out his phone.

"Parker have them meet us in the old motel, room 8 they need to set the freedom equipment.

"Alright, they will be there." Saba wrapped her arms around Colin.

"Oh my god Colin, it was so awful," she cried into his chest. Colin put his arms around Saba and rested his lips on her slightly frizzed hair and closed his eyes.

"You're ok now, don't worry we are gonna get you out of this." Just then the elevator stopped and the door opened three men were standing in the way, two were dressed in white and looked exactly alike, the other was Caleb standing at the point.

"You're not leaving," said one of the twins.

"Without his permission," the other finished the sentence. Colin thrust Saba into Tarra and jumped out of the elevator at Caleb.

"Take Saba and get her out of here! I'll hold them." Brandan looked at Tarra and nodded.

"Go get her to the spot we'll join you shortly."

"Come on Saba!" Tarra and Saba took off running to get to the motel while Colin and Brandan distracted the enemy.

"Let's get'em," yelled Brandan. Colin jumped into Caleb and began an onslaught of attacks. He gave him everything he had throwing landing several combos, Caleb almost seeming un-phased by much of it.

"IS that the best you can do old friend." Caleb attacked Colin with three hit combo ending in an uppercut flipping Colin in the air. Colin focused and landed on his feet.

"No this is!" Colin began to focus his hardest and started attacking at such a speed Caleb couldn't prepare for it. Hitting him from the left then the right and attacking him from above with a mid air round house. Colin jumped into the air and kicked Caleb in the chest three times doing a back flip off him with the last kick. Caleb fell to the ground and quickly jumped back to his feet.

"Still not good enough buddy."

Meanwhile Brandan had engaged the twins jumping into action and hitting the first with a scorpion kick.

"We won't let you stop us!" he yelled. Brandan jumped into the air with his arms spread he kicked the other in the chest. He struck as quick as he could at both of them. As he took one more swing at them both directly in front of him they faded away to what appeared to be smoke and re-formed in front of him. Stunned Brandan stopped for a second. "What the hell are you!" As he stopped one of them hit him with a roundhouse in the face knocking him to the ground. The other pulled out a small knife and attempted to bring it down on him. Brandan quickly refocused and moved out of the way drawing his gun and getting to his feet. "Let's see how you like this!" Brandan opened fire on the twins and they began to fade in and out as the smoke images. Brandan watched as the bullets made entry holes in the smoke and they both reformed. "Shit," he whispered.

Colin ran up the wall and did a flip off it flipping right over Caleb's head, Caleb watched as he drew his gun. Colin opened fire in mid-air hitting Caleb in the shoulder several times. Colin hit the ground and put his gun away.

"This is almost over!" he yelled. Colin began to focus his hardest and channel his rage into his attacks. Colin threw a punch and time slowed to almost a halt as it collided with Caleb's face he cocked his head to the side. Colin took his chance again and swung again with his other fist having the same effect. Colin bounded into the air in a twirling motion, extended his leg and dropped it down on Caleb's shoulder knocking him down and jumping back into his fighting stance. "I'm sorry it had to end this way." Colin took out his gun and shot Caleb as he laid on the ground looking up at him. Colin shook his head.

"Captain let's go!" Brandan jumped out of the range of the twins and started to run.

Brandan and Colin both took off running but meanwhile Tarra and Saba were on their way to the motel so far un-bothered. They were walking through the slums of the third district of the city.

"We're lucky so far, Brandan and Colin must have distracted them well enough," said Tarra. Tarra reached into her coat and pulled out the pill, "you need to take this before we get to our destination." Saba took the pill in hand and looked at it. "Trust me Saba, its for the better." Saba nodded and quickly downed the pill.

"Are we almost to the spot?" Saba asked.

"I think so." Tarra took out her phone and called Parker.

"Operator," said Parker.

"Yeah, how are they doing back there?" she asked. "They are on their way, should be there soon they're really moving."

"Alright." Tarra placed her phone back in her pocket and they kept moving toward the motel. "Colin and Brandan are on their way they should be here shortly." Saba and Tarra walked on through the slums, keeping sharp.

Meanwhile Isaiah had just finished setting up the equipment in the motel.

"There that should do it, is she almost here?" said Isaiah into his phone.

"They are about five minutes away now. So turn everything on and be ready to start the process. Have you got the pill on hand?" Isaiah pulled the pill out of his pocket.

"Good to go." Isaiah sat down at the computer that they would use to trace Saba once she was freed and hit the power button. "All systems are go." Isaiah sat in wait and looked over the computer. Just then Tarra and Saba walked in. Isaiah jumped. "Holy shit, you guys were closer than we thought, you trying to give me a heart attack." Tarra smiled and walked over to the machine.

"Have you got the pill. Let's get this show on the road," she said.

"Should we wait for Colin and the captain?" asked Isaiah.

"No just get it started," said Parker.

"Alright." Isaiah hung up the phone and walked over to Saba and held out the pill.

"Take this pill your freedom awaits you." Saba took the pill in her hand.

"How do I know that this is all not just some dream?" she asked.

"That's just it, it is a dream and we are here to wake you up. Please just trust us Saba it's all you can do really?" Saba took the pill and Isaiah guided her over to the chair.

"Tarra get the computer ready to trace her." Tarra sat at the computer and typed in a few commands.

"Everything is ready." Saba sat in the chair.

"See you on the other side," said Isaiah. Saba nodded and Tarra hit the trace button just as Colin and Brandan walked in.

"Parker get the others out of here I will finish the trace myself," said Brandan.

"Alright." The landline that sat in the corner began to ring and each of them took turns getting out.

"Have you found her yet?"

"We've almost got her," there was a short pause as the computer completed the trace, "Got her." Brandan hit the commands on the computer to separate her signal from the matrix. "Alright get me outta here and make sure Dan has the ship ready to fly she is quite a distance from our position. The landline began to ring and Brandan put the phone to his ear, vanishing.


	26. Saba's Freedom

Chapter 26: Saba's Freedom

Dan jumped into the navigation chair and Isaiah got into the holographics chair and started up the scanner.

"Alright he's out now go," said Parker over the head set, "I've sent her location to the Navigational Computer. All you gotta do is get us there in one piece." Dan hit the throttle and shoved the steering handle as far down as he could as the ship lifted off and shot down the tunnels of the real like a bullet from the barrel of a gun.

"We're almost there keep going," said Isaiah looking over the holographic projection.

"Are we still clear for sentinel activity?" asked Dan.

"Yes, we're good to go." They came to a sharp turn in the tunnels and Dan made a hard left causing the ship to rotate a full 360 degrees.

"Whoa Danny boy could you try not to do that again, there's not much to hold onto down here in the cargo bay," said Brandan over the headset.

Colin, Brandan and Tarra were all waiting in the cargo hold of the ship holding onto grip handles on the wall.

"This is one of the things that's still taking me awhile to get used to," said Tarra smiling.

"What's that?" asked Colin.

"The twists and turns of the real world." Colin smiled after all he was only moments away from getting back the one person that would make his life complete, whom he had thought about everyday since his freedom.

"We're almost there Saba hang in there."

Saba was sitting up and looking around at the fields she had just sat up from the goop that she had been laying in.

"Colin? Where am I?" she whispered to herself. Suddenly there was a loud noise as and a large machine came from nowhere and began to shine a red light in her face. Suddenly all the tubes that she had felt connected to her body flew out of the tiny holes they were plugged into and the liquid started to drain as she was seemingly flushed down a long tunnel. She hit the cold water at the bottom and there was a bright light shining in her face and suddenly the feeling of cold metal on her skin as she was hoisted up out of the water. She could feel people touching her as they lifted her to a bed or stretcher. She slowly opened her eyes to see a blurred Colin standing over her. "Colin is that you?" she reached her hand up to touch his face.

"Yes," he whispered, breaking to tears, "I'm so glad your finally safe, I was so worried. Welcome to the real world." Colin bent over her and put his arms around her laying his head next to hers.

"Let's get her to the medical bay so we can start the restructuring process," said Brandan moving to the back of the stretcher. Colin stood up and went to the front they both lifted and carried her up to the medical bay.

Tarra had gone up ahead and started to prep the medical bay for the restructuring process. She turned on the blue sterilizing light to help clean the area, then took out a metal box containing the electron needles and placed it on the rest for the main operating table. She wiped down the table with a cloth soaked in sanitizing solution and just as she finished Colin and Brandan walked in with Saba on a stretcher, which they sat next to the main operating table.

"Alright just lift her on to the table then we can get this whole process started ok," she instructed. Brandan and Colin both nodded and looked at each other placing there hands on the stretcher preparing to lift Saba.

"On three," said Colin, "One, two . . ." The two of them lifted Saba off the stretcher and placed her on the table. Tarra placed a blanket over her.

"Saba how are you feeling?" she asked.

"I feel strange," Saba answered plainly, "It's a feeling I have never had before I don't know what to think." Tarra smiled at her.

"I know that feeling, it's the feeling you get when you wake up for the first time." Tarra proceeded to hook Saba up to the monitoring machines to keep an eye on her vital signs.

"Colin you have got a few minutes go download the Restructuring Process, from the ships computer, and you can help me with this."

"Alright," said Colin heading out to go to the broadcasting room.

"Tarra I will leave this to you ok? I have some captain business to attend to, I will send Isaiah to help you." Tarra nodded and went back to prepping Saba.

"Good luck," she said.

"Yeah ditto." Brandan walked out of the medical bay and went to his room.

Brandan sat at his computer and spoke into the headset.

"Isaiah report to the medical bay and assist Colin and Tarra. Dan set us down somewhere good and quiet we don't need to be in broadcast depth, so I suggest that you take us to a nice quiet cave somewhere."

"Aye, Captain." Isaiah and Dan both answered at once. Brandan turned on the computer to discover that he had two new messages, both encrypted. He opened up the main inbox server to discover that one had came from Zion and the other had been sent by Captain Niobe of The Logos. He opened the one from Niobe and she appeared on the screen.

"Brandan, this a thank you for you and your crew in the retrieval of the broadcast drop sent by Locke, I probably would not have been able to retrieve it had it been left to us. I also need a progress report on the status of your crew; have you gotten them all yet and if you need any help in retrieving, we would be more than welcome to provide assistance. As for now good luck and I hope to see you well when we return to Zion next." The message ended and closed as she stopped speaking. Brandan had to think of his next move he would have to reply to the message later when he had decided his next course of action, now to look at the message from deadbolt. He opened the next message and Commander Locke's face appeared on the screen.

"This an emergency message to you Captain Brandan. There has been reports as to the sighting of a strange new exile in the slums district we here at headquarters have decided it best that we investigate this strange sighting with caution. And we are giving this task to you, investigate at your own discrepancy." The message ended and the screen shut off. He didn't know what to think of this message although it did say at his own discrepancy, he would most likely wait until he had freed the final member of his crew, Tabatha.

Meanwhile Tarra, Colin and Isaiah had started the restructuring process on Saba. Isaiah was monitoring her life signs on the computer to make sure she stayed stable, while Colin and Tarra worked on the placing of the needles. Colin was up by her head and Tarra took the feet, Saba was lying with her eyes squinting against the blue cover light.

"How do you feel?" asked Colin as he placed the needles in her face.

"I don't know Colin, its really hard to see you, why?" Tarra was bent over Saba's leg placing in the needles and watching closely.

"That's what happens when you've never used them," she said.

"Colin what is going on, what is this place?"

"I said to you earlier, this is the real world we freed you." Saba closed her eyes as the light became to much.

"Freed me from what?" Colin looked at Tarra not sure if it would be ok for him to tell her or if it was better left for the captain. Tarra nodded to him.

"It can't hurt, can it?" she said quietly. Colin went back to what he was doing as he talked.

"We freed you from the virtual world we know as the matrix. I will let Brandan tell you more he can make it easier on you. Just don't worry about anything right now."

"Isaiah how are the vitals?" Tarra looked up from what she was doing.

"They are a little fluxxy but nothing out of the ordinary parameters," said Isaiah hitting a few buttons on the panel.

Colin carefully placed the last of the needles in her face and moved on to her neck and chest.

"What's Parker doing wouldn't this go faster with the three of us working and him monitoring?" he asked.

"I don't know where he is actually, Isaiah give Parker a shout he should be down here getting this over with if he has nothing better to do," said Tarra. Isaiah nodded and walked over to the wall-mounted communicator and pressed the activation switch.

"Parker if you're not busy could you report to the medical bay please?" Isaiah took his hand away from the button and the speaker activated from the other end.

"Give me five minutes and I will be down to help," said Parkers voice somewhat staticy. Isaiah walked back over to the monitoring station.

"There you have it."

In the meantime Dan had dropped out of broadcast depth and was slowly cruising through the stone tunnels of the real. The ship was starting to respond less quickly to the navigation stick but it was probably due to the lack of routine maintenance, they had been gone for almost a month from Zion. He kept an eye on the holographic scanner as he guided the ship, he was looking for a cubby whole in the stone walls to get the ship hidden for a bit so he could take care of some of the maintenance work. He flew for several more minutes when he found the perfect spot. He slowed the ship down and slowly maneuvered his way into the spot.

"Captain," Dan spoke into his head set, "I've got us parked and I am going outside to do some maintenance on the engines."

"Alright Dan report in every hour," Brandan answered.

"Will do." Dan un-strapped himself and went down to the cargo bay where he would exit the ship. He grabbed an EMP rifle and his maintenance kit and then went outside to start his work on the ship.

Parker had been watching Tabatha, the next person they were to free, to try to get an idea of her schedule and routine. She apparently worked at a call center now and that meant it would be easy to get her on the phone and she was a regular bus traveler all they would have to do is intercept her on the bus, he had it all planned out in his head how they were going to do this. All he needed was confirmation from the captain. He would have to wait anyway he had just been called to the medical bay to help with the restructuring of Saba's body. He got up and headed to the medical bay to help the others.

Colin put was still working on the needles in Saba's chest and stomach when Parker walked into the door.

"You guys seem to be doing pretty well for yourselves. I'll take the arms guys," he said upon arrival. Parker picked up the needles and began to carefully place several in Saba's arms. With Parker there the conversation seemed to halt and the procedure went several times faster than normal.

"Wow things got real quiet suddenly," said Isaiah breaking the hour-long silence.

"Needs to be quiet so you can concentrate, it's a delicate procedure," said Parker placing the last few needles in her arms, "See how easy that was?" Parker smiled.

"Yeah and how many times have you done this?" asked Tarra.

"A few."

"Hundred," said Isaiah finishing his sentence for him. Parker walked over to the computer Isaiah was standing at.

"Alright guys come out of there so I can start the electro trans dermal nerve stimulation.

Parker typed in a few commands as they walked out of the safe zone.

"Testing the connections. . . all good. Starting the generator now." There was a slight buzzing noise as the machinery activated. They stood back and watched as the lights came on and the process was started. They could see the blue electricity moving from needle to needle as it revived the nerves in her body.

"Does she feel any of this?" asked Colin.

"No she can't feel anything until you take the needles out." Colin nodded his head and leaned back against the wall to wait.


	27. Crew Final Entry

Chapter 27: Crew Final Entry

Chapter 27: Crew Final Entry

It had been several weeks since Saba's freedom had been completed and she and Colin were practicing in one of the dojo training programs. The two of them were both in kimonos Colin was on the right and Saba on the left the two of them were both blind folder this was a program developed to test their awareness inside the matrix. Starting with their backs to each other they jumped away form one another and took up fighting stances, Saba flew at Colin and he bent back almost touching the floor to dodge her. They suddenly took into one another attacking with several combos and also both dodging Colin obviously taking it easy for Saba her being new. Saba threw a left, a right and an then attacked with a kick combo, Colin easily dodging.

"Your doing good Saba, keep it up. . . here we go," he spoke softly to her as he bounded away from her. Saba took up a defensive stance as Colin came back at her almost running. Colin came within reach and began to quickly attack her landing blows that were all blocked quickly by Saba. Saba began to improvise and ducked to attack from the lower quarters. She managed to almost get up under him, and hit him with an uppercut that he jumped onto the ceiling to avoid. Saba looked up at him.

"Neat trick but your not getting away quite that easy babe," she said. Saba bounded into the air and drew back her fist then throwing a punch that hit Colin in the chest sending him into the wall. Colin straightened himself out in the air and landed, looking up at her with a smile.

"Good going babe, I'm impressed," he said.

"I know you were holding back," she said walking over to him.

"Even still Saba," they heard the captain all around them. "You did well your getting the hang of it I think. But I need you guys to get out of there we are ready to start the next mission."

"Alright take us out." Colin stood up and smiled at Saba as the surroundings changed back to the construct and they were pulled out.

Colin opened his eyes to Isaiah looking down at him smiling he jumped, slightly startled.

"Why do you have to do that," he asked, slightly irritated.

"I like to see you squirm sometimes is all," Isaiah laughed along with Saba who was sitting up in her chair next to him.

"Alright guys grow up for a bit if you could," said Brandan walking over to the code screen.

"We've got a plan to get out the final member of our crew, but the problem is they know, and they are watching her," said Parker.

"Captain Niobe and Ghost are waiting on the inside to help create some distraction. Not unlike what we did with you Colin, just in a bigger area, Tabatha lives in the city so we are going to deploy everyone in different major areas to create there own little distractions." Isaiah walked over to the code screen and stood next to Brandan.

"Do I Get to blow up a police station again?"

"Maybe, but not on your own this time that much I am sure of. The city police station is way bigger than that one you were in and the staff is twice as large in quantity." Parker hit a few keys on the computer.

"They are waiting for you. I'll send you in with your instructions downloaded into your P.P.U.'s."

"Alright," Brandan walked over and sat in the chair. Saba got up and looked uncomfortably at Colin.

"Don't worry Saba, you're doing good, but your not ready yet for your first mission," Brandan warned. Saba walked over and plugged him in and followed with Tarra, Dan, Isaiah and Colin.

"Good luck," she said kissing Colin on the forehead. Colin smiled. "Whenever you're ready Parker, this isn't exactly comfortable," he said.

Isaiah pulled on the ends of his jacket and cocked his head to the side.

"Cool, Niobe and I are gonna take out an office building," he said to himself. Colin looked himself over.

"Looks like I'm taking out a police rally with you Brandan." "Hey what can I say, we make a good team." Dan stepped up beside Colin.

"Looks like I'm the getaway car with Ghost in the side seat." Tarra shrugged her shoulders.

"Well looks like I get to be the freedom fighter this time." Brandan put his glasses on and looked at them all individually.

"Alright guys we are all being sent to different places so good luck and I will see you on the other side." Everyone except for Colin and Brandan disappeared as the construct sent them to the matrix and loaded the Mustang next to them.

Brandan looked at Colin and opened the passenger seat door.

"Hop in your driving," he said sitting in the car. Colin nodded at him and got in, he started the engine and pulled out of the garage.

"Here we go." Brandan put his phone to his ear.

"Yeah Parker, send the map to the car computer so Colin can get us there."

"Aye, aye captain, done." The map came up on the computer screen in the dashboard with a small blinking light representing the rally. Colin started to drive and it wasn't long before they pulled into the rally parking lot, there was about a hundred cars in the lot. It was being held in a large hotel ballroom it would be kind of difficult to fit in long enough to get an attack pattern formed. Brandan got out of the car first, there was a few people in the parking lot having a cigarette. Colin shortly got out of the car and locked the doors. They walked toward the doors of the hotel and the people looked over at them. One of the women looked at Colin.

"Hi," she said seductively. Colin smiled at her.

"You shouldn't smoke its bad for your health," he said being cocky. They walked on passed the coat check.

"Alright all the people are in here try to blend until you get to the other side of the room I will call you and instruct you from there.

Meanwhile Dan and Tarra headed to the call center where Tabatha worked.

"Alright are you gonna be ok or do you want me to go with you?" asked Dan.

"I'll be fine you just stay in the car ok," answered Tarra. Dan nodded and they pulled up into the parking lot of the call center. "Alright just stay put I will be back soon." Tarra got out of the car and Dan laid his seat back to wait. Tarra walked up to the building and there was a card scanner for permitted entry. She called up a small hack screen and hacked it forcing it open. She walked into the building and passed the front desk. One of the guards looked at her strangely but she kept walking un-phased. Tabatha was at the back room and Parker should have been talking to her right now telling her to be ready for her.

Isaiah stood in the middle of a large parking garage where he would meet Niobe. He put his phone up and dialed her number.

"Captain Niobe." Niobe was on the other end.

"You got me kid I'm on the floor above you, I'm coming down now." Isaiah heard the engine of a Firebird rev slightly and start to get closer. He could see the purple car coming down the turn.

"Alright I see you now." He ran over to the car and jumped in the open window.

"Get us there," he said smiling.

"Alright kid hold on to your glasses here we go." Niobe stepped on the gas and they were quickly on the street. "Ok kid all I ask of you is that you listen to me and be responsible we aren't just on some big run of destruction. We're actually using a bomb that Sparks designed to slightly disrupt the matrix, so you are gonna have to be on your absolute guard at all times ok, keep your focus. Nothing unnecessary you got that?" Isaiah nodded as his face changed to a serious look once he began to realize the seriousness of the situation. He could tell that Niobe was very serious about what they were doing he couldn't mess this up.

"I'll do exactly what you tell me Captain." Niobe smirked from the corner of her face.

"That's all I ask kid." Niobe drove on down the empty street and pulled up to the office building. "Alright," Niobe shut the car off and opened the door, "You coming?" Isaiah jumped out the window.

"Coming." Niobe looked at him and smiled.

"Nimble little thing ain't'cha." With that said they walked toward the office building.

Dan waited outside for Tarra in the little red Acura Integra when his phone rang, he put it up to his ear.

"Hello."

"Hey yeah, Dan my man where are you guys at?" It was Ghost on the other end.

"We're over here at the call center, Tarra has gone in to get her."

"Alright I'm coming to you stay there."

"Will do." Inside Tarra had just walked on to the huge floor where all the call center worked were on the phone, she could see Tabatha and started to walk toward her. She was talking on the phone to Parker right then. Just then a call center guard walked in front of her.

"Ma'am I'm gonna need to see some id please," he said.

"Oh um, sure thing sir," said Tarra routing through her pockets. The guard crossed his arms becoming impatient. Tarra perked her eyebrow at the guard as Tabatha walked over to the guard.

"Tarra oh my god what are you doing here, its been so long?" said Tabatha to trick the guard. Tabatha hugged Tarra and smiled at her. "Don't worry about her Charlie this is my best friend she is here to pick me up from work." Tabatha grabbed her bag and put her arm through Tarra's. "Lets go." Tabatha's expression changed to serious when the guard couldn't see her face. They started to walk and two guards stepped in front of them as they got to the floor exit.

"We just got a call that your friend here is wanted for questioning by the authorities. Tarra quickly brought up a hack screen and did a basic force wave hack that sent the guards out of the way.

"Run!" said Tarra.

Colin had just reached the other side of the ballroom and picked up his phone.

"Colin are you in position?" asked Brandan.

"Yeah I'm good to go."

"Alright initiate your phase of the distraction." Colin reached into his jacket slowly and noticed that he was being watched by several of the cops in the area. Colin quickly drew his assault rifle and began to fire into the crowd. Just as he did several cops pulled out there handguns and fired at him. He moved to dodge quickly and could feel the bullets all whisk by him. Just then Brandan opened fire at the same time killing several of the patrons. Several of the police had hit the floor the ones that hadn't we're on the floor in a puddle of their own blood. Just then Colin's phone rang and he picked up.

"Agents look out get the hell outta there, now!" yelled Parker on the other end.

"Oh my god Colin run." He could here Saba in the background. Colin looked over his should and there was an agent pointing his gun at him. Colin took off in a run as the agent began to fire at him. He could feel the bullets cut through the air and move swiftly by him. Brandan was standing at the door and started to fire his gun at the agent.

"Hurry up Colin!" Brandan fired at the agent missing of course, but succeeding in slowing him down. Colin dove for the door and hit the ground in a roll Brandan quickly went through and closed the door. The two of them began to run as Colin quickly got to his feet and headed out the door. They ran and jumped into the Mustang as there were more gunshots fired. Colin started the car and pulled away quickly.

Meanwhile, Niobe and Isaiah had just made it to the top floor of the office building. They were on the roof, security was pretty thin in the building so the machines' obviously hadn't detect what they had been planning to do.

"Are you ready to run kid?" asked Niobe.

"It's kinda sad, but running is one of the things I am known for," said Isaiah with a smirk on his face, "I just hope you can keep up." Niobe laughed out loud and looked at him sideways.

"You know what Isaiah, I like you." Niobe had just began to set up the bomb. "No but seriously I hope we get enough time because this bomb will disrupt your residual self image. It might do some real mental damage to you in the real world."

"Really, wow Sparks must be really good huh?"

"Well yeah when he isn't bitching about something." Niobe hit the last button to start the countdown.

"Alright lets go." Niobe stood up and there was an agent right behind Isaiah. "Duck!" she yelled pulling out her gun and fired at him.

"Oh no." Isaiah jumped out of the way and rolled to the ground. Niobe took up a fighting stance.

"Isaiah go, I will distract him!"

"Niobe I can't leave you here are you crazy?"

"What was the only thing I asked of you!" Isaiah looked at her with a desperate look on his face.

"But . . ."

"Now go." Isaiah nodded and took off out of site.

"Good kid." Niobe attacked the agent ruthlessly giving it all she could muster throwing all the most powerful combos' she could think of. The agent attacked her and hit her with a three hit combo and sent Niobe hurling into the wall. Niobe quickly got to her feet and ran up the wall propelling herself off of it into a kick, hitting the agent in the face and knocking him down. Niobe kicked the agent in the side sending him sliding several feet across the floor away from the way Isaiah had ran. She turned to run and heard gunshots begin to fire off behind her. The bomb they had planted exploded sending a strange shockwave out over the area. Time seemed to slow down as Niobe joined Isaiah and they ran together. Niobe grabbed him by the hand and jumped into the air the shockwave right behind them. The shockwave seemed to dissolve everything it touched including the agent. They crashed through the fourth floor window and were falling toward the ground where the car had been parked, the building was starting to collapse when they hit the ground. "Hurry!" yelled Niobe getting in the car. Isaiah quickly jumped over the car and into the other seat, Niobe started the engine and took off.

Meanwhile Dan was still waiting with Ghost in the side seat, his phone rang.

"Yeah Dan, it's Brandan is she out yet?"

"No she hasn't come out yet are you guys alright?"

"We are in one piece and we are heading in your direction, we will be there shortly." Ghost looked over at Dan.

"The Captains on his way huh?" Dan nodded at him. Ghost jumped in the back seat as he noticed Tarra and Tabatha come running out of the building with a couple of guards trailing them. Ghost shot the guards in the forehead and the girls were quickly in the car.

"Tarra call the Captain, tell him we are on our way to the spot, he can meet us there," Dan instructed. Tarra quickly took out her phone and called Brandan and Colin as Dan sped away from the call center.

"Yeah Brandan we are on our way out of here we got her just meet us at the spot." Tarra hung up her phone and nodded to Dan. Just then several police cars pulled on to the road.

"Hey Ghost looks like we are going to need some of that fancy shooting I have heard so much about." Ghost readied his assault rifle.

"You just keep it on the road Dan I can do the rest."

The car sped down the street following the map that Parker and Sparks had provided with several cars behind them. Ghost fired continuously at them with his assault rifle blowing several of the cars sky high.

"Tarra if you want to lend me a hand here it would be nice," said Ghost reloading the assault rifle.

"Alright I am going to do a shield hack," said Tarra bringing up the hack screen. She tapped in the code and blue shield came up around the car.

"Alright that should help a bit, I have manipulated the code so that it will stop the bullets from going through on our end but you will still be able to shoot them." Ghost opened fire on the cop cars once again hitting each of them with ease now that he didn't have to worry about being shot. It wasn't very long before Niobe's Firebird, the crew Mustang became visible and pulled up beside them. The cop cars were still firing on them, Brandan was on his cell phone.

"Ok Niobe were almost out of here let's just help ghost get the rest of those bastards." The other two cars fell behind to take care if the police cars. Tarra watched as the mustang rammed into one of the police cars pushing it into a road divider to one of the exits, smashing the front end. Isaiah hung out of the Firebird and fired his handgun at the drivers of several of the vehicles making them crash. The three methods were quickly taking out what was left of the police force. When an agent vehicle became visible.

Dan's phone rang and he picked up.

"Dan get out of here as fast as you can take it out we are gonna handle the agents," said Niobe.

"Ok." Dan put the peddle to the metal sending the car into the two hundred and sixty range speeding down the highway.

"Holy shit!" said Tabatha holding onto the seat.

Meanwhile Niobe was quickly devising a plan to rid them of the agent.

"Alright Isaiah we have to get rid of them so that they can get Tabatha out at all costs," she said sternly.

"Ok," he said, "I'm ready." Isaiah climbed out through the car window and jumped onto the roof and pulled out his gun. Colin climbed out through the window of the mustang and Brandan took the wheel. The agents began to fire at them with their handguns; there were two of them in the car. Brandan and Niobe attempted to block them in with the cars as to keep them from getting passed while Colin and Isaiah shot at the cars tires.

"Colin look out." One of the agents was climbing onto the roof, he faced Colin and fixed his tie, Colin readied himself. The agent squatted to jump but instead of jumping at Colin it jumped backwards and knocked Isaiah off of the Firebird.

"Isaiah!" yelled Colin. Isaiah had grabbed a hold of a passing tractor-trailer carrying cars and was dangling from the vehicle.

"Hang on I'll come get you." Isaiah held on as tight as he could, trying to regain his focus, but he couldn't he was too scarred of falling.

"Colin help me!" The agent jumped up on the trailer and pulled out his gun after balancing himself on rafters of the trailer and pointed it at Isaiah. Colin focused his hardest and jumped at the agent kicking him away from Isaiah and quickly grabbing for his hand. Isaiah reached for his hand and the agent came out of nowhere hitting Colin in the side and almost knocking him off the trailer. Colin grabbed the edge and jumped back up on the rafter the agent was on.

"Alright dude, you asked for it! Isaiah get the hell up you need to focus!" Colin took up his fighting stance as best he could maintaining his balance. The agent came at him quicker then he could of ever imagined, they must have upgraded them again. Colin blocked what he could and sent back his own attack that was easily blocked by the agent. Colin focused his hardest ignoring the pain of the blows to the face and hit the agent in the quickest most powerful combo he could muster. Isaiah climbed up the side as Colin fought his hardest and just as he was ready to uppercut the agent Isaiah tripped him and sent him flying into the air for Colin to uppercut. Colin's blow sent the agent flying to the road and off into the distance.

"Good work Isaiah thanks, that was way to close," said Colin as he turned to look for Brandan and Niobe in the cars. The truck they were on had been going a lot slower than the cars were and neither of them were anywhere to be found. "Shit where are they?" asked Colin.

"They must be really far ahead of us we aren't going as fast as they were," said Isaiah pulling out his phone. Isaiah dialed to Parker.

"Operator."

"Hey Parker, how far up are the others?" "Too far you guys might as well just find a way off the road and get to a different exit. . . or steal a car from that truck." Isaiah looked at Colin.

"We'll take option number two. I'll need an upload to hotwire a car though."

"Done and done. Good luck guys." Colin looked at Isaiah expectantly.

"So what do we do now?" Isaiah dropped down and ran to the back of the trailer to where there was a two door Cavalier.

"Lets go!" he yelled as he opened the door and hopped into the front seat.

"Gotcha!" said Colin as he followed. Colin walked over to the small car and shot off the chains that were holding it in place. "Alright I'm driving." The car was started and Colin walked over to the drivers side, Isaiah slid over and Colin got in.

Colin started to slowly back the car up luckily there was nothing coming behind them. Colin hit the gas one last time and the car flew off of the back end of the truck and as they hit the ground the car began to drive forward as Colin had shifted to forward in mid air.

"Nice driving, now come on we got to catch them," said Isaiah. The drove on and saw the agents car crashed on the side of the wall spewing black smoke.

"Looks like they took care of the agent," said Colin.

"Just because the agent isn't anywhere to be found doesn't mean they took him out," said Isaiah. Colin nodded in agreement.

"Right, right." Colin drove faster and faster and Isaiah called Parker again.

"Parker how much farther ahead are they, and is the agent gone?"

"The agent is gone and you should be seeing the Mustang any minute now, the don't have the Firebird anymore, it was sacrificed. Just head to the spot Dan has already gotten there and they are ready to free Tabatha," said Parker.

"Alright thanks." Isaiah put his phone away.

"Hey there is the Mustang." Colin pointed to the car, it was a little beat up but Niobe and Brandan were fine, they waved as Colin drove up beside them, Brandan smiled and Niobe nodded to them.

Back with Tarra and Dan they had administered the red pill to Tabatha and were eagerly awaiting the others, Ghost had already been sent back to the Logos.

"So what is the real world like? Is it better than this one?" asked Tabatha. Dan kind of looked at Tabatha funny then at Tarra.

"Its better if you're a free mind and you like to have control over your destiny," Tarra explained.

"Awesome can't wait to see it." Just then they heard the two cars pull in the yard outside.

"That must be them, get ready," said Dan. Dan took out his phone and dialed Parker. "Parker start the trace and take me out of here." The phone on the table began to ring and Dan picked up and disappeared.

"Holy shit, where'd he go?" asked Tabatha shocked.

Niobe, Brandan, Colin and Isaiah walked in the door and Niobe went right to the phone and took out her cell phone.

"Alright Sparks I'm just waiting on you to get me outta here," she said. As soon as she hung up the phone the phone rang and she picked up and put it to her ear, sure enough she vanished into thin air.

"Good to see you Captain, Parker has already started the trace program and Dan is on the helm on stand by," said Tarra explaining the situation.

"Alright Colin, Isaiah you guys need to get back to the ship, go now and Tarra and I will be along shortly. Parker you heard me now come on." The phone started to ring and Isaiah and Colin walked over to the phone, Colin urged Isaiah.

"You first little guy." Colin gently hit Isaiah's arm, "You had a rough go this time dude." Isaiah picked up the phone and smiled at Colin as he vanished. The phone dropped to the table and Colin put it on the hook.

"Alright. Goin home."

"Colin when you get in get the gun turrets ready we may need to fight our way around a bit." Colin nodded as the phone started to ring, he picked it up and put it to his ear, vanishing.

"I've got her traced already Captain hit the switch to disconnect her," said Parker over the computer radio.

"Send Tarra and I the signal to get out and I will hit the button before I leave."

"Ok." The phone rang and Tarra quickly picked up.

"See ya!" Tarra vanished and the phone fell the length of the cord. Brandan put it back on the hook and it started to ring, he picked up and held it in his hand.

"Tabatha don't be scarred when you wake up we will be there to get you shortly." Brandan hit the trace button and put the phone to his ear as Tabatha disappeared.


	28. The Pick Up

Chapter 28: The Pick Up

Brandan sat up quickly as soon as the plug was pulled.

"Go, go, go!" he yelled as he struggled to get the headset on. The ship quickly got into the air and took off at full speed out of the cubby. Just as the ship lifted off the proximity alarm went off.

"Shit I thought that was gonna happen for some reason. Everyone get to a gun turret we have to take'em down!" Brandan and the others quickly rushed to the weapons deck and Colin had just finished pushing in the last of the bullet casings to load the turrets. Saba, Colin, Isaiah, Brandan, Tarra and Parker all manned a gun turret while Dan flew. Saba looked into her viewer and could see a large squadron of sentinels forming behind them.

"Shoot to kill as always guys," said Parker as all of them opened fire on the sentinels at once.

"Guys is anyone monitoring her position so I know when to drop the grapple?" asked Dan as he flew.

"Don't worry Dan just fly I am watching everything else," Parker answered. Colin aimed carefully but quickly, taking out sentinels one by one as fast as he could.

"Holy shit, there's a lot of them!" he yelled.

"Keep going we have to keep them off the ship!" yelled Isaiah. Several of the sentinels began to cling to the hull of the ship and attack with their lasers cutting away at the armor of the ship.

"Guys what's wrong aren't you watching your monitors!" yelled Brandan getting frustrated at the crew for seemingly not paying attention. Just then Tarra and Saba both began firing on the sentinels on the outer hull shortly followed by Colin and Isaiah. This quickly disposed of the ones on the ship but there was far more trouble coming behind them.

"They must know we are after something," said Saba.

"Ah Captain look up ahead," said Dan as the ship burst through the tunnels out into the fields. Brandan switched his viewer to the front of the ship and could see a swarm forming up ahead.

"We've gotta bust through them, Tabatha is just on the other side! Saba, Isaiah focus on the approaching swarm ahead of us the rest of us will take out the followers," Brandan ordered. Saba and Isaiah quickly followed the orders which made sense the two of them not being overly great aimers all they had to do was focus on the forming mass ahead not the maneuvering sentinels behind them.

"Dan I'll drop the grapple soon just be ready to bring it to a quick hault!" said Parker.

"Gotcha." Dan jerked the accelerator around trying to maneuver around the swarm ahead of them.

"Shit they're fast little bastards to," said Colin aiming for the ones closest to the ship.

"You didn't just figure that out now did you?" asked Tarra following his lead. They fought for the life of there ship for several moments when they came to the spot.

"DAN STOP!!" Parker dropped the grapple and Dan reversed the accelerator as hard as he could bringing the ship to a harsh halt everything shaking. The grapple fell and grabbed Tabatha and several sentinels started to attack it.

"Keep them away from the grapple, Dan get us back to the underground!!" yelled Brandan refocusing his turret on the grapple. The ship was now almost completely covered in sentinels as it started to head back to the tunnels of the real.

"PARKER charge the EMP now get down there!" Brandan ordered. Parker let him self out of the turret seat as the ship flipped almost a complete 360 to head back underground. The grapple had gotten back inside just in time as they hit back into the underground.

"Saba go make sure Tabatha is ok!" Saba nodded and cautiously made her way to the cargo hold. Isaiah, Colin, Tarra and Brandan were the only active gun turrets, this was the most difficult swarm they had ever been chased by. They must have been tracing them when they were fighting the agents within the matrix.

The ship was once again flying through the tunnels and the EMP had been charged.

"Dan hurry up and sit her down somewhere I'm ready!" said Parker getting impatient. Dan got the ship into the smallest hole in the wall he could fit it into and sat it down. The gun turrets went dead and the ship went dark all except for the red lights of the alarm.

"Make sure they are all in range," said Brandan. They could hear the metal clanking of the sentinels hitting the ship and soon enough they were all in range.

"Parker now, hit it now!" Parker turned the switch and everything went quiet as the EMP was released. They could hear as the sentinels fell from the hull of the ship and hit the ground of the tunnels.

"Whew, that was close," said Isaiah as his arms fell to his sides and he put his head back.

"Saba is everything ok down there?" asked Colin.

Saba's voice was slight muffled meaning the internal communication system was most likely damaged.

"Yeah everything is fine she made it with no injuries at least," said Saba. The lights began to come back on and Brandan went down to the cargo hold to help Saba get Tabatha to the medical bay. They had moved her to the medical bay, and Parker and Dan had been ordered to start on the repairs. Tarra, Isaiah, Colin and Brandan all worked on the restructuring while Saba monitored the computer.

Tabatha opened her eyes and sat up, she was in a small dark room and dressed in some shabby clothing. Was this the real world? She thought to herself.

"Where is this?" she whispered to herself. She saw a light shining out from under the door and slowly walked over to it putting her hand on it. She pulled on the door gently and it pulled open. The door opened into the broadcast room, Parker, Brandan and Tarra were checking the equipment. Each of them stopped what they were doing and looked at her. Brandan smiled and walked over to her.

"How do you feel?" he asked. Tabatha smiled back as she spoke.

"I feel good." Tabatha punched him slightly in the arm.

"So ah, when you gonna get around to showing me what the matrix is dude."

"Whenever you're ready." Brandan walked over to the chairs and sat down. "Have a seat," Brandan beckoned to her. Tabatha walked over and sat in the chair and Tarra walked over to her.

"Lay back, and relax," said Tarra gently pushing her back into her seat. Parker jacked Brandan into the jack and Tarra hooked Tabatha in.

"Well this is kinda uncomfortable if I do say so myself," said Tabatha.

"Don't worry it gets easier every time," said Brandan looking over and smirking at her, "Parker send us into the construct." Parker sat down in the chair and typed in the commands necessary then hit enter.

Tabatha opened her eyes and her and Brandan were standing inside the construct program.

"What is this place?" Brandan walked over to her and directed her to a chair that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"This is what we call the construct program," said Brandan, "Its our loading program we use it to jack into the Matrix. And the Matrix . . ." Brandan sat down in the chair and clicked on the television that appeared in front of them with the remote that appeared in his hand.

"The matrix is control. A system created by the machines in the real world to enslave the human race." The images on the screen changed as Brandan was talking. Images of the barren upper world and also of the machine empire.

"Oh my gosh are you serious, how did this happen?"

"Tabatha the world you live in. . . the time frame is around the year 2001 when in all actuality, it is closer to the year 2101."

"Oh my god, are you serious?"

"After seeing what you seen when you awoke do you not believe me?" Tabatha had a very sincere look on her face as she spoke.

"Yes I believe you."

"Good, now what I am gonna show you may seem hard to believe at first but it is real." Parker loaded the jumping program.

"Whoa, what's going on?" she asked.

"Don't worry its just loading." Tabatha shrugged her shoulders. The program loaded and they were on top of the building. The matrix is a program in a computer and just like a computer program you can change things. You can defy gravity, move at incredible speeds even dodge bullets." Tabatha had a doubtful look on her face.

"How can I do that?"

"All you have to do is believe, watch." Brandan walked over to the edge of the building and looked over.

"What are you doing?" Brandan walked back a few steps and then broke into a run. "OH MY GOD STOP!" yelled Tabatha as he jumped off the edge. Brandan jumped to one of the slightly distant buildings. "Holy shit!" Tabatha yelled to him.

"Come on you can do it to, all you have to do is believe in yourself. None of this is real!" Tabatha looked at Brandan then at the ledge and herself.

"Hell if he can do it I can." Tabatha ran at the edge and jumped, she started off well and made it almost to the building Brandan got to but had to just catch the edge. Brandan grabbed her and helped her up onto the building.

"Good job. Parker take us out, you and Colin can take it from here."

Tabatha opened her eyes and Tarra pulled the needle from her neck. Parker walked over to her and then extended his hand.

"Come with me I'll show you everything you need to know," he said.

"Alright." Tabatha took his hand and stood up then followed him. Brandan sat up in the seat and watched them walk away.

"Isaiah there has been reports of a strange new exile that they want us to investigate suit up you and I are gonna check things out," he said, "Tarra take the operators station." Tarra nodded and walked over to the station and put on the operators head set while Isaiah jumped into his seat and laid back. Saba walked over and jacked them in, Tarra loaded them into the construct program.


	29. The Exile

Chapter 29: The Exile

Chapter 29: The Exile

The construct program loaded all around them.

"Tarra when we load in, instead of the car I want the Captain's Thrown," said Brandan checking his shades.

"Sure thing anything else?"

"No we're good load us in." As Brandan finished his sentence the matrix loaded around them with the Captains' Thrown right next to him. Brandan looked at Isaiah. "Let's go." Brandan hopped on the motorcycle and sped down one of the quiet streets of the Slums district.

"Is this where the thing was spotted?" asked Isaiah.

"Yeah pretty gloomy huh." It was a short drive to where they needed to be and Brandan parked the bike in an alley under a set of stairs. "Alright, split up, if you find the creature do not engage it, call me and we will pursue it together." The sun was setting slowly shining an eerie light over the city streets.

"Alright captain good luck," said Isaiah checking his gun. Brandan nodded and went up the fire escape they parked under.

Isaiah walked into the building the fire escape connected to. The room he walked into was a basement that much was clear, the room was dusty, dark and cluttered. He jumped up on the boxes that were in his way and then jumped back to the floor and walked through the door way, all the while looking for clues as to what he might be looking for. Isaiah had a lot of ground to cover he realized it was gonna be awhile probably before he found anything. In the meantime he would have to beware of the local gangs of exiles that they already new about. The Pit Vipers, the Dog Pound, the Destitutes and Silver Dragons to name a few of the more mentionable groups, he walked through a few more doors and something caught his eye on the wall. He walked over to it to get a closer look and realized that it was a huge claw mark. Isaiah dragged his hand across it, the engravings were pretty deep.

"What the hell could have done this, this is quite a creature we are dealing with here." Isaiah heard something move behind him, he quickly jumped up and turned around scanning the room. He saw a cat run out from under a box letting out a cry. Isaiah relaxed and walked into the next room.

Meanwhile Brandan had been a few buildings over and was searching through an apartment building. He walked into the one of the abandoned apartments, there were some teenagers smoking a joint inside.

"Oh shit man," said one of the trying to hide it.

"Do I look like a cop to you kid?" he asked.

"Hey you never know nowadays." I walked over to them.

"Have you boys seen or heard of any strange activity in the area?" The boys looked at each other and then back at Brandan.

"There has been a sighting of this giant strange creature, it looks like a modern day version of Death or something. Its all black with a skeleton face," said the shortest of the three.

"Has it been seen for sure who saw it?"

"Just my little sister, she says that right after she saw it, it disappeared."

"Did she say where she saw it?"

"It was in the abandoned building two blocks over. Don't ask me what she was doing there my mom was soo pissed."

"Ok kid thanks." Brandan walked away from the teenagers and they went back to what they were doing. He walked out through the door to the apartment and went down the stairs of the building. The building the creature was sited in was where he would head but he would take the streets instead. Brandan walked down through the fire escape and heard a women scream. He looked down to see two members of the Pit Viper gang throw a woman on the ground. Brandan didn't really feel like wasting the time but he couldn't just let the women be killed or something. Brandan took out his gun and shot one in the head. The women screamed and the other turned to face him pulling out his gun.

Brandan dropped down on to the ground and the ground rippled as he hit. The Pit Viper quickly drew his gun and started to fire at him, Brandan quickly and easily dodged the bullets long enough to get close and knock the weapon from his hand. The man attacked him hitting Brandan in the face then in the gut, not phasing him.

"Is that all you've got?" said Brandan, "This is what happens when you pick on people you shouldn't be bothering." Brandan rose into the air and time seemed to slow down, the man watched him rise. Brandan kicked the man in the chest focusing and knocked the man into a nearby wall. He walked up to him and delivered one last blow to the head and he fell to the ground. The women got to her feet.

"Thank you, friend," she said walking over to him.

"You're welcome now get home, these neighborhoods aren't safe for someone such as yourself ma'am." The women nodded her head and Brandan ran back into the alley.

Isaiah walked into an alley, he had searched two buildings all the while seeing nothing but hearing several strange noises. Some that sounded like growling, a grunt one other time, but he never saw anything. Isaiah turned around suddenly feeling as though he was being watched.

"Alright that does it." Isaiah took out his phone and called Tarra.

"Operator," she said.

"Yeah Tarra is there anything else in this room or following me." Isaiah could hear Tarra typing something.

"Well I don't see anything directly but the code along the left wall is slightly distorted."

"Could it be something hiding or is it normal?"

"I don't know Parker would have to look at it and he is busy."

"Alright well how about I just assume." Isaiah hung up the phone and called Brandan.

"What is it? Did you find what we are looking for?"

"I think get over here have them trace my call."

"Ok." Isaiah put away his phone and just starred at the wall. 

Isaiah began to focus on the wall and he began watching the code. He could see the shape of something seven feet tall with a skeletal face. Isaiah stared at it and it whipped its head around and looked at him. Isaiah jumped back startled. The creature began to phase into sight. Isaiah jumped back and ran out the door. "Holy shit." He ran out into the street and drew his gun. The creature became visible through the door and he opened fire on it. The bullets hit dead on but only sank into the skin. The creature ran at Isaiah at an incredible speed and swiped at him with its huge hand. Isaiah focused his hardest and quickly dodged the attack. Isaiah attacked the creature hitting it in the chest with everything he had attacking with every part of his body with a combo that didn't seem to end. Isaiah jumped into the air bouncing off its chest and jumping back a few feet in mid air and shooting back at the creature with his feet pointing down hitting the creature in the face and going right over his head landing behind him. Isaiah looked behind him at the creature, it turned around to face him and fixed its neck, then roared a blood curdling sound at him. "Oh no. Come on just believe, you can do this!" he said to himself. Isaiah ran back at the creature, it swiped at him this time landing its target. Isaiah focused his hardest and ignored the pain and jumped into the air kicking it.

Brandan saw Isaiah get swiped across the stomach and pulled out his gun as he jumped down. Brandan opened fire on the creature getting its attention, the creature whacked Isaiah with the back of its hand as Brandan hit the ground. Brandan ran at the creature focusing his hardest and swept it off its feet then punched it in mid air only sending it a few feet.

Meanwhile outside the matrix Tarra watched as Isaiah's body jerked from taking the damage.

"Oh no," said Saba.

"Saba go get Colin and Parker," said Tarra panicking. Saba ran out and went to get the others.

"Hang on you two," she whispered. Tarra walked over to Isaiah the front of his shirt was soaked with blood; he was bleeding right through his skin from the wounds on his chest. "Can someone get some medical supplies too please," she said in the headset. Parker and the others came running in and Parker sat in the operator's chair while Colin jumped into one of the seats.

"Jack me in, what are you waiting for?" he said. Saba rushed over and plugged him in and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Alright I am sending you right into the battle," said Parker.

"Give'em hell Colin!" said Tabatha. Colin smiled as Parker sent him in.

Colin was inside the construct he took his gun and knife off the weapon table and got into position. The matrix was put together around him and he could see the fight going on below him, he was on top of one of the large apartment buildings. Colin drew his gun and jumped down with his gun pointed he began firing on the creature as it walked toward Brandan who was distracted helping Isaiah to his feet. The bullets hit the creature dead on in the face not doing any damage but making it stumble back slightly. Colin hit the ground and drew his knife.

"Colin look out, this thing is even more dangerous than the agents as far as I can tell," said Brandan helping Isaiah to his feet, "Distract it as long as you can I will be back, Parker will find us an exit." Colin took into the creature swinging his knife in all directions seemingly landing all the blows but again not doing damage. Colin jumped into the air and wrapped his legs around the creature's thick neck. Colin used his hands to grab the creatures legs and put it in a hold stopping it from moving. The creature jerked around but couldn't get free or hit Colin. Colin focused his hardest using all his strength to hold the creature while Isaiah and Brandan made their way to an exit.

"Come on guys, I can't hold on much longer." The creature managed to grab Colin by the legs and throw him into the air. Colin regained his composure easily focusing himself to the ground. "Is that the best you can do?" Colin jumped to his feet and flew into the creature delivering ever kind of attack he could think of with his fists and feet flying. Colin knew his attacks might as well be effortless because he could not beat the creature. Colin hit it with an uppercut sending it into the air away from him, suddenly the creature bent in the middle and flew toward and over him. Brandan appeared behind the creature with his foot in the base of its back, he landed beside Colin as the creature flew over him.

"Lets get him!" said Brandan looking at Colin. Brandan and Colin took into a fighting stance. "I've got upper right, you go lower left." Brandan and Colin attacked the creature with an onslaught of joint attack initiating a twin element of attacks. The creature swung back at the both of them, easily being evaded at their heightened awareness. Colin and Brandan both jumped back. Colin looked at Brandan and took up a stance with his arms out. Brandan jumped up on his arms and bounded high into the air. The creature was getting frustrated at not being able to take them out easily. Colin attacked the creature before it struck at him and kept attacking it with all he could give.

Brandan was close to thirty feet in the air and still rising, he watched as Colin fought to keep the creature busy. Brandan focused till he was close to seventy feet in the air, he then focused his hardest to make himself shoot down at the creature almost like a bullet with his foot out. Down below Colin continued to fight with the creature to keep it busy like he knew he was supposed to. Sometimes he and Brandan could do better with a look then words ever could. Colin hit the creature one last time and then Brandan came crashing down on the exiles head with his foot driving its face into the pavement and cracking it. The creature didn't move as they stood anticipating what was going to happen.

"It can't be alive after that," said Colin. Brandan's phone rang and he picked up.

"Yeah."

"Hey, its not dead get the hell out of there I don't even think you can kill it yet!" said Parker, "You've got a few minutes before it starts back again."

"OK," said Brandan.

Brandan looked at Colin with worry on his face and the two of them took off running. They took off down the street and quickly turned into an alleyway. "Come on the exit is up here," said Brandan jumping onto a ladder. They began to climb the ladder when suddenly it was ripped off the wall.

"Holy shit!" yelled Colin holding onto the ladder tightly. They hit the ground with the ladder on top of them.

"Shit!" They looked up to see the creature standing on the roof with part of the ladder in his hand.

"Damn it! He's blocking the exit what do we do now?" asked Colin.

"Looks like we will have to lure him away then make our way back here. You stay I will distract him," said Brandan.

"Captain that's crazy."

"Trust me I will be fine, now stay under here till we are outta sight!" Brandan slid out from under the ladder and bounded up the walls to the rooftops. He headed away from the creature and just like he planned it followed him.

Brandan jumped from the building with the creature right behind him, swiping at him. It missed him as he managed to stay one step ahead of it with his speed. Brandan ran across the long rooftop focusing his hardest to stay at his top speed even though he was becoming tired. Brandan jumped to another building to the left as he started to make the circle to the exit. He ran faster and faster as the creature came closer and closer to him. Brandan dove under a fence and slid, then rolled right to his feet again and kept running. The creature ran right through the fence and stayed almost right behind him. The creature reached for him and he had just managed to jump to the next building, as it reached it lost its balance and fell between the buildings. Brandan kept running almost to the exit, so close he could almost taste freedom. The creature wasn't faltered by the fall and jumped right back up on the building and started to run again, now quite a distance behind him. Brandan looked back as he jumped to the exit, it wouldn't catch him now, he ran down into a small stairway from a door on the roof, he could see the phone on the wall, it was ringing. He made it to the bottom of the steps and picked up the phone just as the creature crashed through the doorway. He put it to his ear and vanished.

Brandan opened his eyes and sat up.

"Man what the hell is that thing?" he said angered, "No matter what we did we couldn't hurt it."

"Not what more like is. It was going to be the new agent program but before it could be properly initiated it went exile and malfunctioned," explained Parker still starring at the screen.

"Is Isaiah ok?" asked Brandan, "He took quite a beating in there that time."

"He's down in the medical bay, with Saba and Tarra," said Tabatha looking at the code screen with Parker.

"I'll be back up shortly, work on finding that things weaknesses will ya." Brandan went downstairs and Colin followed.

They walked into the infirmary to see Saba and Tarra standing over Isaiah's body, which was lying on the stretcher.

"Is he gonna be ok guys?" asked Colin as they walked over to them.

"Yeah he should be fine but he has lost a lot of blood, he may be off his feet for the next few days," said Saba. The claws of the exile had damaged Isaiah's body internally, there was blood on the compress that they used to cover his stomach wound.

"Is he bleeding internally?" asked Brandan.

"Yes captain, but we broke the skin so the blood wouldn't weigh his body down internally. Have you guys decided on what that creature must have been at one time?" asked Tarra.

"I have no clue, but what ever it is, it's ten times faster and more powerful than any agent." Isaiah who had lain unconscious until now looked at Brandan and Colin.

"You guys made it out . . .," he whispered.

"Of course, you expected otherwise?" said Colin smiling.

"How do you feel Isaiah?" Brandan walked over and put a hand on his face.

"It hurts to talk captain. Am I gonna be ok?" Brandan smiled.

"Of course you'll be fine, don't worry about anything. Saba take care of him, Tarra, Colin come with me we need to see if we can destroy that thing." Brandan, Tarra and Colin went back upstairs after Colin kissed Saba goodbye.

Parker had been analyzing the creature through and through based on the data he had been able to gather from there little spat with it. The data read out was telling him that it was designed to be something like the agents but more powerful and not able to move in and out of software. It was designed to be deployed where needed and then destroyed after it had completed its task. But what they hadn't planned on was the creature developing a mind of its own and going exile, now it would appear that the creature is out of control hunting agents and rebels alike. Now to develop something that could destroy it, he would most likely need more information so that meant someone would have to fight the damn thing again. Parker glanced at his schematic one last time as the captain and the others came from one of the doors.

"Any luck?" asked Brandan.

"I can't do anything with the data that I have gathered, I just need more information on it?" Parker explained.

"Well how are you gonna get more information can't you just use the code screen to watch it?" asked Colin. "Not if I want to gather tactical data, me watching it would only tell me its behavioral patterns. One of you guys is gonna have to go fight it again, if its possible then I want you to test its limits."

"How are we supposed to do that, the damn thing's way faster than anything we have ever encountered," said Tarra.

"It's faster than one of you, but if all of you were to go in and work together I think you could do it." Brandan had a weird look on his face.

"I'm not willing to risk the entire crew to figure this thing out," said Brandan. Parker looked at Brandan.

"Then you should have never been given the control of a ship." Brandan looked at Parker, as did the rest of the crew.

"Excuse me?"

"A true Captain would be looking at the bigger picture here. If we risk our crew than others may not have to die at the claws of this thing, forgive me but do you understand?" They all shifted their glance from Parker to Brandan.

"Alright Parker, let's do it your way then. Saba and Tabatha need to be trained tonight because they need to be at their best for tomorrow when we strike. Just keep your eye on that thing for the night Parker. Tabatha jumped in one of the seats, which one of you guys is gonna train me?"

"I'll send Saba up and you guys can train on the computers training program," said Brandan. Brandan and Colin went back to the medical bay and Tarra took the main operators station.


	30. Training Session

Chapter 30: Training Session

Chapter 30: Training Session

Tabatha and Saba loaded into the construct program in residual self-image. Saba was dressed in white leather, with a blue tank under a shining white jacket, she had no glasses on and her hair was held back in a blue headband, she smiled at Tabatha. Tabatha had taken the quick and slim routine, dressed all in a black vinyl suit that fit tightly to every curve on her body, wearing silver frame glasses with black lenses.

"Alright girls I'm sending you in," said Tarra from the outside, "I'm gonna start you off in the third difficulty level so we can get you going, and hopefully you will be ready for the mission tonight." The area around them loaded, and they were suddenly standing in an open arena. Around them they could see several different fighters approaching them, a security guard, a police officer, a swat member, an agent and one of the Merovingian's vampire exiles.

"All right Saba, are you ready?" asked Tabatha. Saba nodded her head.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Ok take out the weaker guys first we will handle the agent after words." The both of them took up a fighting stance and each ran at an opponent.

Tabatha ran at the police officer who had just put up his hands and was ready to fight. He took a swing at her and she ducked to avoid the attack then hit him in the stomach with her fist and as he bent over kneed him in the face. He stumbled back and Tabatha focused jumping into the air and delivered a kick in his chest breaking his chest. Saba ran at the swat member who was ready when she got to him she took a quick hit to the face but recovered quickly countering with a quick kick combo, ending it with a quick fist to the face and knocking him down. Tabatha looked to her next target who would be the vampire exile. She ran at him and delivered a quick combo and round housing him in the face. She saw a stake appear on the ground as he began to stumble. She flipped toward it and grabbed it off the ground and hitting him in the chest as she got back on her feet. Saba took into her next target the security guard which barely seemed like a test of her skill after practicing with Colin. She ran at him quickly and swiped him off his feet knocking him into the air then kicked him sending him a distance away and sliding a crossed the floor.

"Good job guys just one more to go," said Tarra from outside. Tabatha and Saba looked at each other as the agent put up his fists, Tabatha nodded at Saba and they took off at him.

"Let's get'em!" yelled Saba. Tabatha and Saba initiated a twin element attack with Saba attacking high and Tabatha attacking low, much like Brandan and Isaiah. They attacked with speed and ease landing several blows on both counts. The agent got his grounds and attacked them both at once with his fist sending each of them a distance away. They regained there focus in mid air and landed on there feet.

"Where the hell did that come from?" asked Tabatha surprised at the attack.

"He's an agent you remember the training program. Every rebel that has met with an agent and fought died, with few exceptions," said Saba. Tabatha's look on her face changed.

"Oh my god that's it." Just then there surroundings changed to that of the rooftops and the agent drew his gun.

"GO!" yelled Tabatha as she turned to run. Saba quickly followed her and they took to running with the agent behind them and firing his gun. They could see the bullets denting the walls as they ran passed.

Meanwhile Brandan was in the medical bay with Isaiah who's recovery was underway. Brandan walked over to Isaiah's bed, he had fallen asleep because of the anesthetic he had been given. He put his hand on his sleeping friends face and he was warm to the touch.

"You're gonna make it," he whispered to him. Brandan checked his life signs, the anesthetic would be wearing off soon and he would be able to fight again just fine. Brandan had to make several decisions regarding this new threat, he was sending in the entire crew but would he be able to do that as well as be able to contact Zion for the information regarding the major mission that they had spoke of in one of his last debriefings. What Parker said was right though, this creature must be dealt with before it manifests itself inside the matrix and becomes more of a threat than it already is. Brandan dropped his hand to his side and Isaiah turned his head to face him, his eyes still closed kind of like he knew he was there. Brandan heard a noise in the doorway behind him and turned to see Colin standing there.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Not much just making sure he stays stable is all." Colin walked in and walked over to one of the panels.

"Everything seems good to me," he said. Colin took a seat in one of the waiting chairs next to Isaiah's bed and looked at Brandan strangely.

"Can I help you?" Brandan asked suspiciously.

"I'm good, I'm good. I was just thinking about a few things."

"Like what?" Colin sat up straight to stretch then slouched over again to get comfortable.

"Did you ever picture this when you were inside the matrix, when we both worked at Subway and everything was normal?"

"Can't say I ever did, but I somehow new everything wasn't as it seemed." Colin shook his head.

"I know what you mean dude, just always felt like something wasn't right, did you ever wake up before you were pulled from the matrix?"

"Maybe once or twice but the images are kind of faint. How about yourself?"

"I can remember waking up a few times, it happened when I was in judo practice and I was really pushing myself to deal with one of the bigger guys that was in the group with me." Brandan leaned against the wall.

"You mean Caleb, don't you, I remember you used to tell me at work all the time he was your biggest challenge." Colin nodded his head.

"Yeah and now I know why, he's not even human, he was a program that eventually went exile."

"I wonder what his purpose was?" Colin shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows."

Isaiah opened his eyes and looked at Colin then Brandan.

"Hey, how you feelin?" asked Colin. Isaiah sat up slowly and put his hand on his stomach.

"I feel . . . good," he spoke slowly, still groggy from the anesthetic. "Wow that stuff Tarra gave me really knocked me on my ass."

"Yeah she had to get you still for a bit so it had to be pretty strong. Do you think you'll be ready for tonight?" Brandan asked taking a step over to the bed.

"I feel good, I'll be great I think once I am inside."

"Good," Brandan nodded, "I've got to go talk to Parker about the exile I will be back to see how you are doing later."

"Ok I will see you later then." Isaiah smiled and laid back down on the bed.

"Colin are you busy for the next little while, I don't really feel like sitting down here alone all night."

"Sure bud whatever." Colin sat back and put his feet up on the other chair in front of him.

"So where is Saba?"

"Tarra is training her and Tabatha in the training program."

"How do you think they are gonna do tonight?"

"I don't know but all of us will be there to cover them if we have to."

"I don't think we are going to need to lets just hope they can hold their own . . . just a little faith I guess."

The two of them were quiet for a few short moments.

"You did really good in there tonight, if it weren't for you I wouldn't be here," said Isaiah breaking the silence.

"You're welcome as always buddy," said Colin.

"I wish I knew how you got so strong so quick? I've been free longer than you and you're still the better fighter."

"I don't know, even when I wasn't free I was still a pretty good fighter, I've always had a strong sense of belief in myself, and as we both know, inside the matrix . . . believing is what makes you strong. And don't be so hard on yourself, not one of us can match your speed on the inside."

"You are right about the whole believing in one self. I believe in myself, maybe not as much as I should, but there is a reason for everything though right." Colin nodded to Isaiah and stood up.

"I suppose I should go talk to the captain, and you should get some more rest we've got quite a mission ahead of us."

"You're right just wake me when they are ready I guess."

"You know we will." Colin walked through the door and headed for the broadcast zone of the ship. Isaiah closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Brandan had been speaking with Parker about the mission that was ahead of them.

"So do you think we should take extra weaponry?" asked Brandan.

"I don't really know, I can't actually give you the answer you want to hear. You can take bigger weapons but again, it may not even do you any good," explained Parker. Brandan was silent for several longs seconds in thought.

"Hmm, what I think we need to do is try to find out what the machines were planning on using to get rid of this thing."

"It was probably some kind of command that they would send to disconnect the hardware that they would use to power it thus, shutting it off." Brandan was quiet again.

"A command huh?" Brandan looked over at Tarra and then back to Parker. "You mean like a hack, maybe?" Parker looked at Brandan and smiled.

"I think you might be on the right track. I'll try to develop some different hacks and just load them into Tarra's database when she jacks in."

"I doubt the hacks would work right away on it though, we'd probably have to knock it out like I did the last time before they will have any effect." Parker shook his head agreeing with him.

"Alright then I will get started on trying to develop a hack for her then, I should be able to make a couple before you guys are ready to go." 

Colin walked up behind them and stood listening for a few seconds.

"So did you guys come up with something?" he asked. Brandan turned to look at him and Parker turned his attention to him as well.

"We think we are on to something but we won't know for sure until we actually fight the damn thing again," explained Parker.

"I see, I see."

Meanwhile the girls were still inside the training program battling different fighters they had moved their way up to the Merovingian's Twin Exiles.

"Saba look out!" yelled Tabatha as one of the twins drew his knife. He swung at her and she stopped his arm in mid swing and hit him in the face a couple of times, when he phased out to get away from her. Tabatha and Saba both jumped back from them to regroup momentarily. "How the hell are we supposed to beat these things if every time we get a few hits they go all ghostly on us and recover any damage we do," said Tabatha getting frustrated. Tarra's voice was all around them as she spoke.

"Sometimes the key isn't always to win but to know when to give up. . ." she said.

"We obviously can't beat them," said Saba.

"So what do we do then?" Saba looked at the twins walking toward them then back to Tabatha.

"We run, now go!" Saba turned and took off away from them with Tabatha close behind. Saba broke down a door that led into an apartment building and they ran for the stairs the twins were not very far behind. "Come on hurry!" yelled Saba turning up a flight of stairs. They kept running up the stairs and turned a corner and kept climbing as fast they could. Saba came to another door that would lead them to the top.

"Hurry up open it!" Tabatha focused and pushed Saba aside hitting the door with her foot knocking it open they kept running they were suddenly outside on top of the large building. They could hear the footsteps coming up the stairs behind them.

"Where do we go now?" asked Saba almost in a panic. Tabatha looked over at the next building.

"We go over there." She could see the ringing phone on the other building. "There is our exit." Saba and Tabatha ran together and jumped at the same time toward the other building, they both landed and rolled to their feet and ran right to the phone just as the twins realized where they were on the other roof. "You first Saba." Saba quickly picked up the phone and put it to her ear, as she vanished and the phone dropped Tabatha put it back on the receiver. The phone rang again and Tabatha put it to her ear just as the twins had landed on the building.

Tabatha opened her eyes and jumped up out of her seat as the jack was pulled from her neck.

"Yes! We did it," she yelled excited, "We rock girl!" Saba smiled at her from her seat and then leaned back, still slightly worked up from the chase.

"I think you guys will do fine tonight," said Tarra standing up from the operators station. "But for now I think you guys should go rest I am gonna go talk to Dan." Tarra walked out of the broadcast zone and headed to the bridge of the ship.

Dan sitting in the pilot's chair looking at the holographic projector at a sentinel squadron, that was somewhat close by. He put his headset on and adjusted the mouthpiece.

"Captain I think we should move to another spot the patrols are getting kind of close to our position," he said.

"Ok then take us out of here sound the alarm if you need us to take the turrets," said Brandan from the other end of the headset.

"Will do." Dan powered up the engines just as Tarra walked through the doorway.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I've just gotta move the ship to a different location the patrols are getting pretty close. Take the holographic station would you?" Tarra sat down next to him.

"Sure." She typed a few commands into the keyboard and a scan started to run. "You must be pretty lonely up here all day huh." Dan looked at Tarra from the corner of his eye and smiled slightly.

"Its not as bad as you might like to think. I have a lot of time to think about stuff." The scan quickly finished and brought up several squadrons in the area.

"Wow there is a lot of activity around here. Think they know that we are around here somewhere?"

"No not yet." The ship flew through the tunnels easily avoiding the unaware squads of sentinels. "Wish it was this easy all the time."

"Do you think you will be ready for the mission?" Tarra spoke starring at the passing walls of the tunnels.

"Of course how hard can it be with all of us there."

"This thing isn't like anything else we have ever dealt with inside the matrix though, just prepare yourself for the worst, I'm warning you now."

"We'll be fine." Dan smiled at her leaning over to kiss her on the cheek.

"I hope you're right."


	31. The Exile Part 2

Chapter 31: The Exile (Part 2)

Chapter 31: The Exile (Part 2)

Brandan laid down in his chair and waited for Parker to jack him in, he looked around at the entire crew some of which this would be the first mission they would embark on. Colin was sitting next to Saba he looked over at her and she took his hand.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Colin whispered with a smile on his face.

"I know," she said. Parker helped Isaiah up and walked him over to his chair, then jacked him in. Tarra tapped a few buttons on the screen over her chair and then leaned back to wait.

"So the hacks will be uploaded into my database when I get in there but I need to wait for you guys to knock it out before I can try any of them," she said walking herself through the plan one last time.

"Exactly, piece of cake right," said Parker. Parker jacked her in and then followed with Dan and Tabatha.

"Alright, psych yourselves up guys we're gonna need it," said Tabatha as Parker slid in the jack. Isaiah leaned back in his chair, the pain in his stomach was still fairly prominent. He couldn't wait to jack into the matrix and the pain would be gone. Virtual reality was better than morphine could ever be, Parker pushed the jack into his neck and then into Brandan and went back to his station.

"Alright guys call me if you need me, you know the number."

"Parker you're such a fool sometimes," said Tarra, "Now send us in already." Parker typed in a few commands and sent them into the construct program.

One by one they began to appear inside the construct program. They each walked up to the weapons table and picked up their handguns.

"Alright guys were taking a little extra fire power this time," said Brandan. Just then a larger table appeared in front of them with more artillery.

"Colin take the rocket launcher, Dan you grab the two assault rifles and the sniper rifle. We are gonna go in with two groups, Tarra, Dan, Tabatha you guys are in the Acura. Colin, Saba, Isaiah you're coming with me," said Brandan. Colin looked around at the construct.

"Here we go guys, you ready?" The matrix loaded around them and they were all standing around a hard line phone on a circular table, it was ringing. Brandan picked it up and put it to his ear.

"We're in," he said, "We'll get back in touch with you when we need to find the exit." Brandan placed the phone back on the receiver. They walked down the stairs of the building and out onto the street where the cars were waiting. Tabatha, Dan and Tarra all got in the car and drove away. Colin walked to the driver's side and opened the door.

"Hey dude not this time, I need you to arm that rocket launcher," said Brandan coming up behind him.

"Aye captain." Colin hopped into the car through the sunroof and sat in the back. Isaiah got into the back seat next to Colin and Saba sat in front with Brandan. Brandan started the engine and took off.

"Saba get the radio channel open to the other car," said Brandan. Saba nodded her head and took out her cell phone. She dialed the number for the other car and hooked it up to the radio. There was a bit of static at first but it cleared up quickly. "Tarra can you guys here me?"

"Loud and clear Captain," Tarra's voice came from the car radio.

"Alright good, first things first we have to try and lure it out of hiding, park in the general area of the sighting that we had last and we will meet you."

"Ok." Brandan sped up slightly to get to the destination quickly.

They drove into a parking lot where the Acura was parked and pulled up beside it. Tarra, Dan and Tabatha were still inside. Brandan got out of the car and the others followed.

"Ok split up, we've gotta search the area when you find it call us. We're gonna go in two teams, Saba, Tabatha you come with Colin and I because of your inexperience. Isaiah go with Tarra's team," Brandan ordered. Isaiah nodded and walked over to Tarra.

"Come on you two I will show you where I found it," said Isaiah. The two teams split up and went in different directions.

Isaiah led Tarra and Dan to where he found the creature the first time.

"When you found it, you couldn't see it without focusing could you?" asked Tarra.

"Yeah it somehow blended in with the code, I don't think I even seen it until it wanted me to."

"Great." Dan checked his hand loaded his handgun and looked around at the basement surroundings. "This should be fun." The three of them looked around the room, they starred right into the code but could not see anything.

"I don't think its here, lets go," said Isaiah. They walked up a flight of stairs to the old apartment building, there was people in the building an old man walked out of one of the apartments.

"What were you doing down there?" he said sounding like his age was creeping up on him.

"Don't worry about it old man," said Dan, "We're looking for something." They walked by the old man and he grabbed Dan by the arm. Dan looked at him with a surprised look on his face and the others stopped and turned to look at him.

"If you seek death it will surely come for you," whispered the old man, "there is something lurking in the shadows of this neighborhood, something evil." Dan pulled his arm away from the man.

"Go back in your apartment old man we will take care of it," said Dan. The old man looked at the three of them then at Isaiah.

"I watched you engage this creature last time, this time you may not be so lucky, beware." The old man went back into his apartment and slowly shut the door. Dan and Tarra looked at Isaiah, he turned and they kept walking down the hallway.

Meanwhile the others were not to far away in one of the other apartment buildings.

"You'll have to focus on the code to see it, so make sure you look carefully," said Brandan. The others nodded as they each began to scan the room.

"Whoa, this is weird," said Tabatha.

"I don't see anything," said Saba, "What about you Colin?" Colin shook his head.

"Nothing."

"Then let's move on," said Brandan. The walked down into the basement of the apartment building, it was dark, slightly cool and damp. "The last time we encountered it Isaiah ran into it in a basement. While you two were training he told me that he kept hearing noises before he found it so it was probably hunting him or something, is what I figure." Colin noticed something on the wall as they walked by and into the center of the floor.

"Captain look at this." Colin walked over and touched the wall, it was a large claw-like indent in the wall.

"It had to have made this," said Brandan looking it over. Tabatha looked around the building at the walls, getting the slight feeling that she was being watch by something.

"I don't see anything here either, do you Saba?" she shuttered slightly as she spoke. Saba joined her looking around focusing hard on the walls around them.

"Wait." Saba caught a quick glimpse of what looked like a foot, but then it was gone.

"What is it?" asked Colin urgently.

"Nothing I thought I saw something but it was nothing."

"Are you sure?" Brandan focused as hard as he could and looked around quickly, there was nothing he could see.

"Yes I'm sure. It was nothing." Just then a middle aged man came down.

"Hey folks you guys can't be down here it's a restricted area."

"Sorry sir we were just looking for somebody," said Saba innocently.

"Well if they live in this building or any of the ones around here they won't be down here if they know me." The old man smiled and went back up the stairs they followed him shortly. On the way up the steps Brandan saw a strange shadow pass over the old man and move out the door.

"Colin," he whispered. Colin looked back at him.

"I know." Saba had seen it but for some reason it didn't engage them.

Tarra, Dan and Isaiah had taken to the roof tops in there search they were on top of one of the larger buildings and were looking over the edges and to the other buildings to see if they could see it.

"I don't see anything, do you guys?" asked Tarra.

"I think," said Dan. Tarra and Isaiah ran over and looked where he was looking the creature was slightly phased out of the code and was nothing but a blurry image.

"What's it doing?" asked Tarra.

"I don't know," said Isaiah.

"Look ahead of it a little in the alley," Dan instructed. Tarra and Isaiah did as he suggested and could see that there was a bum searching through the dumpster of the alleyway. Isaiah took out his phone and put it to his ear.

"Yeah Captain, we've found it, we're on top of the largest building in the sector looking down on it, it's in the east alleyway."

"Ok stay there do not, I repeat, do not engage it yet. We're on our way!" Brandan yelled.

"Ok." Isaiah put away his phone and looked around at the other buildings wondering which one the others would come out of. They appeared on the other side of the street that the alley was on, they looked up at them and Brandan signaled for them to get down there.

"Lets go," said Dan. Tarra and Dan headed for the door back inside.

"Isaiah what are you waiting for come on," said Tarra.

"I'll meet you down there." Isaiah jumped up on the ledge of the building in a crouching position balancing him self with one hand.

"All right!" Tarra and Dan ran down the stairs and Isaiah focused his hardest. He balanced himself on the ledge he stood up and began to run down the building, as time seemed to slow down. He ran about half way down and the creature looked up noticing him, he jumped off the building and fell towards Brandan and the others. 

Brandan watched Isaiah fall toward them the creature turned its attention to them.

"Ok guys get ready." All four of them took up a fighting stance and Isaiah landed right in the middle of them shaking the ground slightly.

"Tarra and Dan will be down shortly," said Isaiah.

"Alright let's go." All five of them took off at the creature. Tabatha took to the air and kicked the creature in the face landing behind it and turning around. Colin and Brandan both went into a powerful onslaught of attacks on the upper body using combo after combo. Saba slid through its legs and got behind it with Tabatha, Isaiah worked the lower body. Tabatha and Saba began to attack the creature from behind hitting it swiftly with combos of their own. Dan ran out through the door and joined Tabatha and Saba while Tarra waited for the time she would be needed. The creature seemed to be taking the abuse from the six fighters quite easily. "Come on fight harder!" yelled Brandan. The six of them began to focus in sync and they each began to push themselves to the limit.

Tabatha focused her hardest and time seemed to slow down as she land a series of ten blows in just under ten seconds.

"Ya!" she yelled as she hit one last time moving back into regular time. Saba continued attacking as best she could focusing along with the others. She began to feel a heightened sense of awareness as she fought. Her attacks seemed to be landing more and more precise each attack. Isaiah began to speed up and work as fast as he could with all the power he could muster from his body. Isaiah moved so fast that he hit the creature almost thirty times in ten seconds. Dan focused and attacked with ease, not relying on speed but accuracy and power to make his attacks matter. Brandan hit the creature several times with his fists then jumped and kicked the creature several times in the head. Colin focused as hard as he could on where his hands were hitting, his strength is what made his attacks count not his speed hitting the creature only five times the last hit he jumped into the air right after Brandan's kick and hit the creature in the face as hard as he could, almost turning its head all the way around. The creature's hand dropped to its sides and a strange shockwave knocked them all away. Tarra focused and called up her hack screen, she hits the buttons with ease and used a float hack to stop them from hitting the wall. "Holy shit!!" yelled Tabatha.

They watched as the creature tilted its head to fix its neck.

"Oh god here it comes get ready!" yelled Isaiah. The creature shot at Colin like lighting and began to attack him, he successfully dodged most of its attacks. Colin moved to the left then to the right then jumped into the air and bounded off its shoulders. Brandan jumped at the creature with his fist out and time seemed to slow down as the creature swung at him with its long arm knocking him into a nearby wall.

"Ah shit!" Brandan fell to the ground and began to pull himself up. "Is that the best you got? Colin lets get this thing." Colin ran over and stood by him until he was up, the creature had taken off after Tabatha.

"Oh shit!" she said as she moved to dodge. Colin and Brandan ran at the creature together initiating their twin element. They began to attack the creature as they did last time but this time from behind. Tabatha rolled out of the way to safety.

"Tarra get ready!" yelled Dan. Tarra watched intently from a distance as Colin and Brandan jumped back from the creature. Colin put his arms out and Brandan jumped into the air using him as a propeller. Colin ran at the creature and attacked it as he had done before. Isaiah realized that he could help at this time and ran at it.

"Dan come on!" he yelled. Isaiah and Dan joined Colin in his attack to hold the creature still long enough. The three of them fought as hard as they could to keep the creature from regaining composure. Brandan suddenly fell on the creatures head only this time it didn't get driven into the ground but grabbed him by the foot and threw him at Colin then whacked Dan and Isaiah away with one fowl swipe. Saba watched as the others were thrown away and realized that she and Tabatha would have to attack it next to give them time to recover.

"Tabatha we need to help!" she yelled as she ran at the creature. Saba ran at the creature and time seemed to slow down as she jumped into the air and kicked it in the chest knocking it back slightly. Tabatha quickly joined her and swiftly tripped the creature then dropped her foot down on its neck.

"Stupid move," Tabatha said to herself as the creature grabbed her by the leg. The creature threw Tabatha and she stopped herself from hitting a wall with her hands. Saba jumped back to avoid a massive fist and the creature stood still for a second.

"Uh oh." They watched as the creature's fingers grew in to sharpened and lengthy claws.

"Oh no," said Tarra under her breath.

Tarra focused and brought up her hacking screen and used a hack to hold the creature in place.

"There guys, that should slow it down a bit, if nothing else." Just then they heard the sound of gunshots being fired and seen bullets hit the creature's chest and head. Brandan looked around.

"Who the hell?" he asked, confused. Just then three agents fell into the fighting circle.

"Oh shit, not now," said Colin.

"Wait a minute." Two of the agents engaged the creature and the third walked over to Brandan. Brandan took up a fighting stance ready for anything.

"This creature is of great threat to both of our factions we have been ordered to help you destroy it, our attempts to reconnect it have failed, you must do so." The agent looked at Tarra. "She is a hacker is she not?" The agent jumped over to Tarra and she backed away.

"What do you want?" she said slightly frightened.

"We need your ability as a hacker we have developed at hack for you to use to get rid of it, now permit me to upload it to you." Tarra looked passed the agent at Brandan.

"Let him," said Brandan. The agent thrust his hand into Tarra's chest and a strange light went over her as the hack uploaded.

"Use it on my signal we will only have one chance human."

"Help them guys, I know its different but we have no real choice here." All three of the agents began to fight the creature with the help of the others. Tarra watched them fight as one of the agents was gouged by the creature and fell to the ground. They all fought hard and one of the other agents hit the creature with one final swipe knocking the creature down, everyone that was fighting dispersed away.

"Now human!" yelled the agent. Tarra focused and called up her hack screen, she tapped in the code and a strange light began to come from the creature's eyes and mouth. It got to its feet and began to thrash around as it was reconnected to The Source. The light began to completely engulf the exile when it suddenly exploded and pieces of it went everywhere.

"Fuck yeah," yelled Tabatha excited. Isaiah rushed over to Brandan.

"Captain I think we should take our leave and celebrate back home." Isaiah had a worried look on his face. Brandan looked at the agent.

"Thanks for your help, seems peace may be possible." The agent quickly turned to face him.

"Only human." The agent ran at them.

"Guys go, get back to the cars!"

"Should of known we couldn't trust'em long!!" Colin yelled as he and Saba bounded into one of the windows of the apartment building. Tarra and Dan took to running down an alleyway. Brandan, Tabatha and Isaiah took off down the street and turned a corner the cars weren't that far away.

Colin and Saba crashed through the glass of the window to the vacant apartment hand in hand.

"Come on, we have to hurry the cars are on the other side of this building," said Colin getting to his feet and pulling Saba along. The two of them ran through the apartment building hearing footsteps behind them, they came to a door and Colin kicked it open and they began to run down the hallway and then down a flight of stairs finally seeing the door. 

Brandan, Isaiah and Tabatha ran down the street with one of the agents close behind them.

"I hope the others get there as soon as we do, cus we won't have much time to be sitting and waiting!" yelled Tabatha. They heard gunshots behind them and felt the bullets whisk by them.

"Shit keep going," yelled Isaiah. The three of them began to run as fast as they could focusing there hardest to run from the agent. Tabatha could feel a bullet coming behind her and time seemed to slow down as she focused on her next move. She jumped at the wall and ran a few feet as bullets whisked by, she flipped off the wall and they kept going.

Tarra and Dan ran down the alleyway and could see a fence.

"Keep going right up and over!" yelled Dan. They continued to run together and jumped right over the fence landing on an old car hood. Dan landed and looked back at the agent chasing them.

"Go!" Dan pulled out his gun and fired off several shots to distract the agent then continued to run. They came to the other end of the alleyway on the other side where the cars were. Brandan, Isaiah and Tabatha came running from a different angle and Colin and Saba crashed through a window on the bottom floor of a nearby apartment building.

"Good job guys," yelled Brandan as he jumped over the mustang and hopped in the drivers side. Tabatha hopped into the drivers seat of the Acura and the others each loaded in. Isaiah hopped in through the sun roof of the mustang and Colin loaded in the back with Saba. Both cars started immediately and started down the road.

Brandan drove down the street and could hear the sirens of several cop cars coming close to them.

"Isaiah get Parker on the phone and tap him into the radio." Isaiah did as he was ordered and the frequency was opened.

"Captain I've got some bad news for you," said Parker slightly static.

"What's wrong now?" asked Brandan frustrated.

"The agents have destroyed the exit you guys are heading for I am trying to figure out another one for you guys to use right now. But it looks like your gonna have to head across the river so head for the bridge."

"Ok." Colin took out the rocket launcher they had brought with them and stood up through the sunroof.

"Try to hold'er steady captain, I'll do the rest." Isaiah rolled down his window and took out his gun to wait for the cars to become visible.

"Saba call Tarra and tell them to head for the bridge." Saba nodded and took out her phone dialing the other car.

"What's the scoop?" said Tarra calmly.

"Bad news, we have to go across the river they destroyed our original escape exit," said Saba.

"Saba tell them to take a different way that way it'll split up the forces," said Brandan.

"I heard him will do, we will see you on the other side," said Tarra.

Tarra took her phone away from her ear and put it back in her belt.

"Tabatha take a turn here."

"What, why?" asked Tabatha confused.

"The captain wants us to take a separate route to split up the forces." Tabatha swung the car around and drove down the street Tarra had pointed out. Tarra brought up a map on the onboard computer with the direct path laid out for her to follow. "Use this map to guide you for now." Just then several cop cars turned the same corner while several others kept going after the other car.

"Hang on guys!" Tabatha pushed on the accelerator and the car jolted ahead as she changed gears. Tarra rolled down her window and began firing her gun on the police force. Dan was in the back seat he mounted the sniper rifle on the back dash and shot out the window.

"Tarra here use this!" Dan passed Tarra the assault rifle that he had kept after putting the other one in the mustang.

"OK." Tarra nodded and dropped her hand gun then pointed the other gun out the window. They could hear the bullets hitting the car up the side and in the trunk. Tabatha swerved to avoid traffic and weaved in and out of the traffic.

"Damn cars get off the road grandma!" she yelled. Just then one of the cop cars rammed them from behind and Tabatha twisted the wheel every which way to keep her control and sped up.

"Try to keep ahead of them at all costs," yelled Dan firing off the sniper rifle. Several of the cars began to blow up as Tarra and Dan got the final hits in on some of the cars behind them.

"Good work Tarra!" yelled Dan, "Keep it up."

Back with the other car. Colin was blowing up the cars left and right as he saw them with Saba helping him reload the launcher. Isaiah ran out of bullets in his handgun.

"Did I see Dan put that other assault rifle in here before we fought the creature?" he asked.

"Isaiah its right here," said Saba as she passed up the gun for him to use. He took and began pointing it out the window.

"Much better." Isaiah let several rounds fly.

"Agent!" he yelled.

"Colin take him out," said Brandan. Colin fired at the agent vehicle and it swerved to avoid the shot.

"Shoot." He ducked down and Saba passed him a shell to load into it.

"They dodged." He reloaded the launcher and stood back up.

"Take this you suit wearing mother fuckers." Colin fired off again this time another car had gotten in the way taking the hit. When the explosion cleared the agents were not in sight so he had successfully repelled them for now. Just then he could hear another assault rifle being fired and could see the shots moving up the back of the car. He ducked back inside to avoid being shot. "That was close." Just then a cop car came out of nowhere and rammed the front of the car from the side sending them into a spiral.

"Hang on!" Brandan slammed on the breaks and turned the wheel into the swerve getting them balanced. The car stopped spinning and there were several cop cars in front of them, they had gotten turned around.

"Damn it!" Brandan looked back and began to back up as fast as he could.

"Isaiah, Colin get out there and get rid of these fuckers!" Colin reloaded the launcher and got back into the sunroof and let the rocket fly blowing up two of the cars that were driving close together.

"Good shot Colin," said Isaiah firing at one of the other cars.

"Ok guys hang on to something." The car flew into a small opening and they all were pushed to the back of their seat as the car stopped. Brandan floored the gas pedal and the wheels squealed as they spun around a couple of times and the car jolted forward back to a high speed. Brandan drove as fast as he could without going off the road, he could see the bridge they needed to cross not to far away. They were coming up on a checkpoint as the checkered yellow and black block was lifted they seen the little red car come and whip around the corner from the right. The car sped off with several police cars behind them and Brandan drove the peddle to the floor to get caught up with them. "Come on we're almost there," said Brandan under his breath. Isaiah and Colin continued to fire at everything that they could to keep the coast clear even firing at the vehicles chasing the others.

"Man there is way too many of them I'm almost out of shells," said Colin. Saba looked at where she had been getting the shells from and then looked at Colin.

"We've only got two left."

"Save them we might need them!" Brandan swerved to avoid the cop car that had just taken a ram at them. Colin put down the rocket launcher and took out his handgun keeping in the roof as he opened fire.

"Tarra call Parker we need to get to the exit quick," said Dan. Tarra took out her phone and called.

"Operator," said Parker.

"Yeah Parker can you tell us where the exit is yet?" asked Tarra keeping her calm.

"I am going to send you guys to a different exit then the others if you go to the same one. There will not be enough time to get you all out before you get caught. Head for the corner of Smith and Robins street!" Tabatha looked in her mirror and could see the mustang catching up to them. Tarra put away her phone and began to fire back at the approaching cars.

"Tabatha head for the corner of Smith and Robins once we are off the bridge." Tabatha nodded and kept driving.

Back in the mustang Brandan had gotten on the phone with Parker as he was driving.

"Captain I am gonna send you to a different exit than the others."

"Why?" Brandan asked.

"If you guys were to all go to the same one then you might not all be out by the time your pursuers caught up to you. I want you guys to head to the church its not that far from the bridge but you need to move faster."

"Alright." Brandan put his phone away and sped up and went right passed the other car, they stayed fairly close and then came to the end of the bridge. The Acura took a hard left and the Mustang took an even harder right as the car was temporarily up on the two side wheels. It dropped back down and they could see the massive church in the distance.

"That's our exit guys we're almost home," said Brandan.

Tabatha pushed the little car as hard as she could and they were coming up on their exit. Tarra's phone rang and she picked up.

"Yeah!"

"Your exit is in the fourth apartment building on the third floor, in apartment number 308, good luck." Tarra put her phone away and Tabatha swerved the car to a halt as they hit the corner of the two streets. The three of them jumped out of the car.

"Its in that building on the third floor apartment 308. Let's go!!" yelled Tarra as her feet hit the ground. The three of them took off into the building as fast as they could running by several of the locals. The agents quickly pursued as they pulled up outside. "Hurry!" All three of them got into the elevator and Tabatha hit the door close button and then the up button. As the door to the elevator closed they seen the agents come in the door down the hall.

"Whew," said Tabatha relieved.

"Its not over yet," said Dan.

"I know." Tabatha leaned against the wall as the elevator moved into the third floor.

"Alright get ready." The doors opened and all three of them took off with Tabatha in the front. They could hear the hard line ringing as they came closer to apartment 308. They quickly came to it and Tabatha kicked the door open and they went in.

"You first Tab." Tabatha picked up the phone and vanished. Dan quickly put it back on the hook and it began ringing again. "You next Tarra." Tarra quickly grabbed the phone and put it to her ear vanishing. Dan pointed his gun at the door and put the phone on the hook. Just as the phone rang an agent came through the door and he opened fire as he picked the phone up and put it to his ear. The agent walked over and grabbed the phone just as Dan vanished and threw it against the wall.

The other car had just pulled into the church parking lot along with several cop cars. They all hopped out of the car and the police cars swung into position. The cops got out of their cars and took out their guns pointing them at the car.

"Come out with your hands in the air!!" One of the cops spoke through a megaphone.

"What do we do captain?" asked Saba. Brandan opened the door and looked back at the others.

"Get out of the car, follow my lead." The others opened their doors and they each stepped out of the car slowly.

"NICE AND EASY!" yelled the cops. Isaiah was the last to get out of the car.

"Drop your weapons," they heard from the megaphone. Colin heard several guns hit the pavement as the others dropped the gun he followed. As the guns dropped several of the officers began to approach them with their guns still trained on them.

"They won't shoot there own," whispered Brandan. The four approaching officers had just gotten into arms reach. "Go!" yelled Brandan. The four of them each grabbed the policeman closest to them and disarmed them. They each grabbed an officer and held a gun to there heads. All four of them began to back into the church in a back to back formation pointing there guns everywhere when suddenly the cops they were holding began to turn into agents.

"Shit!" said Colin pulling the trigger stopping the transformation as the others did. The only problem was now they had no cover.

"Open fire!" They heard one of the men yell. Gunshots began to fire off and they each moved to dodge.

Isaiah bounded out of the way and did a cartwheel as time seemed to slow down and the bullets whisked by him. One going between his legs and the other between his arms he landed out of the way of the bullets. Brandan jumped into the air toward the church and timed seemed to slow down as the bullets flew up by up him one almost hitting him but missing just as he did a mid air flip. He landed in the church through one of the windows. Saba flipped forward toward her destination as the bullets whisked by her so close she could feel the air displacement caused by them. She dodged until she made it to the church door and kicked it open. Time slowed down and Colin could see the bullets heading for him as he focused on what was going on around him. Colin dodge the bullet by moving to the side then laying almost on the ground as the next flew by him. Colin did several back flips as he dodged his way to the door which Saba had just kicked open. Colin backed through the door and kicked it shut as he landed on his feet.

Saba could hear a phone ringing but could not see Isaiah or the captain.

"Colin come on!" Saba ran at the sound, which was behind the minister's podium in the office. They both ran and made it into the room of the phone as bullets blasted into the door. They ran in the room and over to the phone.

"Saba you first." Saba quickly picked up the phone upon arriving and put it to her ear returning to the safety of the ship. Colin quickly put the phone back and it rang again. He put it to his ear reaching safety.

Colin opened his eyes as Tarra pulled the jack from his neck and he sat up.

"Where are the others?" he asked jumping up and heading over to the screen.

"The captain is one floor above where he needs to be and Isaiah isn't even inside yet," said Parker answering him.

"Shit!"

Isaiah was hidden behind a statue and was scanning the area for another way into the church that wouldn't be so obvious. He took out his phone and called Parker.

"Operator."

"Parker is there another way in that's not so obvious?" he asked.

"Hold on . . . there is another entrance but it leads to the basement its quite a distance from the hard-line. It's on the left side of the building you will have to go all the way around to get to it."

"Holy shit." Isaiah sighed and shook his head as he put his phone away and started around as quickly and un noticeable as he could be.

Meanwhile Brandan had made it all the way to the balcony overlooking the church seating area he could see where the hard-line was located and it was still clear. None of the others were in sight. Brandan took out his phone as he walked closer to the phone from the area above.

"Operator."

"Parker did everyone make it out so far?"

"Everyone is out but you and Isaiah, who is on his way now." Brandan looked down at the exit. The cops still hadn't entered the building.

"Is the exit clean?"

"Clean as you could ever hope for."

"Ok." Brandan put his phone in the pocket of his jacket, he jumped down over the balcony and landed in front of the door, he kicked it open and walked in to a ringing phone. "Good luck Isaiah." Brandan picked up the phone and put it to his ear.

Meanwhile Isaiah was ducked down running along the side of the building that he was supposed to be on, from here on he knew he would have to hurry to make it in before the officers started to flood the building because once that happened he would have to find another exit. He came to the window to the basement and quickly slid through. He found himself in a dusty basement filled with several religious relics. He ran passed them and up some steps that led him to a wooden door. He walked through and a bullet hit the door as he realized there were agents in the doorway to the church. Isaiah began to focus as hard as he could as he ran and time seemed to slow down. A barrage of bullets whisked by him as he ran at the door that led to the hard line. Isaiah bounded into the air up and over the flights of stairs that led up to the podium. Bullets continued to whisk by him as he took to the wall, the door had been left open so he ran right in and stayed on the wall. He jumped off the wall toward the ringing phone and grabbed the phone in mid air and put it to his ear vanishing just before he would have hit the wall.

As the jack was pulled from Isaiah's neck he sat up and gasped for air.

"We did it," he gasped.

"Good job team," said Brandan, "You all deserve a bit of a break, I have to contact Commander Locke about our next mission." Brandan walked out of the broadcast zone and walked up to the Captain's Quarters to speak with Locke. He sat down at his computer and turned on the screen and dialed a direct link to Zion. He put on a headset as the commanders face appeared on the screen.

"Good evening Captain Brandan I assume you are calling me to report on the new exile that we had discovered."

"Yes commander, I am pleased to report that we have successfully eliminated the new threat and we won't have to deal with it again."

"Glad to hear it, I knew that you and your crew would not let me down. I will be assigning you all the mission we talked about soon, you are currently on stand-by I will contact you in one day, until then rest as I suspect you and your crew well need it," said Locke.


	32. Simulations

Chapter 32: Simulations

Brandan woke up and looked around the captain's quarters, they were one day away from one of the biggest mission attempts in human history within the matrix. He would need to hone the crews' skills today to be sure that all seven of them were ready to take on this huge responsibility. This was also most the first time that they would be all be working with other captains and they would need to prove themselves. He got up out of his bed and got dressed then headed down to the bridge to get stats on where they would need to be for the next mission. He got into the bridge and Dan, Tarra and Colin were sitting in the control seats.

"Report," he said.

"We just about to the co-ordinance you gave me Captain," said Dan. Colin, who was sitting in holographics, looked over at Dan.

"We're in the clear for now I'm not seeing anything within range of the scanners," he explained.

"Good, Tarra has there been any communications activity from Niobe or Soren?"

"They called Parker a while ago and told him that they weren't into position and that they probably weren't going to be ready until tomorrow," said Tarra.

"That'll be perfect it should coincide perfectly with the mission time." Isaiah steps in from behind him.

"Is there any word on what the mission will be exactly?" he asked. Brandan sat down in the secondary pilots seat next to Dan.

"Well all I can tell you is it's an attack on the power plants main frame server. I don't know exactly how it's going to go down and I don't know how they plan on even going about it, but I do know that it's the biggest mission attempt in human history. We will be working closely with the other teams as well so we definitely need to be at our best and you guys know what that means I assume."

"Simulations," said Dan unenthusiastically. Isaiah stood between the two pilots chair.

"When do we get started?" he asked.

"As soon as we're parked, Colin, Tarra, Isaiah you guys go get ready. I'll stay here and help Dan get her seated." Tarra, Colin and Isaiah stand up and go downstairs to the broadcast zone and Brandan stays with Dan to help park the ship.

The three of them walk into the broadcast zone and Saba and Tabatha are looking into the code screen with Parker. Parker points to something on the screen.

"The exiles are really active all of a sudden, I wonder what they are up to," said Parker. Colin walks over to the code screen and looks in.

"Captain says we need to train hard for the next mission, it's the biggest mission attempted in the history of the human resistance, so loader up," he explained. Parker turns his chair around to face the others.

"Did he at least tell you what one?" asked Parker. Colin shook his head.

"Um, no, he's coming right down though, they just gotta get the ship into position."

"Alright then, you guys wanna get the broadcast chairs set up for me?" he asked whirling his seat back around to get the computer ready.

"Yeah sure," said Tarra. Everyone walks over and starts to get there own chair ready to go, setting up the bio readers and the mental scanners. They felt the ship jolt slightly as Dan and Brandan put it into place.

"We must be parked," said Tabatha checking some connections.

"Sounds like it, I don't hear the engines humming anymore," said Isaiah.

Brandan and Dan walked through the door to the broadcast deck.

"Is everything ready?" asked Brandan stopping a few feet away. Dan walked by him and went to one of the seats to start checking it over.

"Everything should be ready to go captain. What do you plan on testing us on?" asked Tabatha. Brandan walked over and looked into the code screen and hit a few buttons on the keyboard.

"I'm going to set up a test to help each of us with our weaknesses within the matrix so we can try to hone our skills a bit," he explained, " I want each of us to be ready to do whatever the other crews require of us, we need to be ready for everything and anything." They each begin to set up a chair and they each sit down. "Actually guys I plan on sending you in each one at a time and doing individual tasks. First I wanna ask you what you each think your weaknesses are?" Brandan stood up and looked at each of them, they all seemed to be dazed by the question.

"Well?" Brandan shrugs his shoulders getting impatient.

"Um well I guess for me it would be my hand to hand combat abilities," said Tarra.

"Very good, anyone else?" Saba took a step forward and looked at the captain shyly.

"My confidence could use some work," said Saba quietly. Colin looked puzzled and stayed quiet as Dan stepped forward.

"I need to work on my speed if anything." Tabatha had a puzzled look on her face as she stood up from her seat.

"I've still never really used my gun I need to work on my accuracy with my handguns I guess," she explained. Brandan looked at her finding it hard to believe what he was hearing, but thinking back, she was right she hadn't been required to use a gun in any previous missions.

"Yeah we will get you set up with that later today. Anyone else wanna step up and take a stab at your weakness?" Isaiah and Colin looked at each other, each waiting for the other to say something. Colin perked his eyebrows at Isaiah.

"Well captain, my weakness has always been my strength, my attacks are really fast and accurate I just need to be able to put a little more power behind them," said Isaiah having a thinkers look on his face. Colin nodded his head at Isaiah.

"Your turn Colin, you're the only one that hasn't gone yet."

"Well I don't really think that I have any problems, I'm fast, accurate, powerful, confident, I don't have any trouble in battle with anyone, except agents." Brandan looked at Colin and smiled slightly.

"Your definitely right about that but you do have one slight problem and I think you will find out later on in the simulator," said Brandan sitting in the operators station, "Alright who wants to go first?" Tabatha stepped forward.

"Might as well be me, no sense wasting any time contemplating." Brandan nodded and sat down in one of the terminals and Isaiah walked over to her and helped her get set up.

"I'm going to load you into the gun training program, its going to give you what you need to know when you load in. Hook her up Isaiah." Isaiah took the jack and slid it into her neck and Brandan loaded her into the construct program.

Tabatha loaded into the construct and looked around, she put her glasses on and the weapons table loaded over to her.

"Did you want me to pick any specific gun or just take one?" she asked.

"Take your weapon of choice." Tabatha picked up the Difesa 092.

"This one will be good, it's got a clip that holds fifteen rounds so it'll last fairly long." Tabatha looked around as a room loaded that was full of pillars and places for things to hide. Her instructions loaded into her, she wouldn't be able to use anything to stop her enemy but her gun. She would only be able to use physical force to keep them away from her. Brandan's voice could be heard all around her.

"Alright Tab are you ready to start?" he asked. Tabatha cocked her gun and took one last look around.

"I'm ready when you are captain," she said, flicking her hair back. Just as she finished speaking she could hear movement begin all around her.

Just then a man became visible to her right, Tabatha quickly responded and turned to shooting him between the eyes. Another man came from behind her and fired his gun. As the bullet left the barrel of his gun time began to slow down. Tabatha bounded into the air back flipping backwards several times in mid air as she fired another round from her gun going right through the top of the mans skull. He fell dead and several more men appeared in the area around her as she jumped off one of the near by pillars twirling around in the air as several bullets whisked by her. She began to fire and knock down the men one by one as she spun in the air. Tabatha landed on the ground and a man put a gun to her back. She focused as hard as she could, bent over forward and kicked the man in the stomach she then twirled around and grabbed the gun from him then shot him three times in the stomach. Tabatha suddenly sensed a bullet coming behind her and did a back flip sending it between her legs. Balancing herself on one hand she shot the shooter with her handgun right in face.

"Is this all I've gotta be able to do," she said jumping back to her feet. Suddenly she felt a gun being pointed right into her back and a man put her arm around her neck.

"Now I've gotcha little girl," he said.

"Really are you sure?" she said. The man started to pull the trigger on his gun but before it went off Tabatha quickly whipped around and backhanded him in the face knocking him to his knees. "Sorry but you don't quite have it on me bub!" She kicked the man in the stomach sending him twirling and then to the ground, she knocked him in the stomach and he slid across the ground dropping a shotgun. Tabatha did a cartwheel and grabbed the gun on her way by just as the man was getting to his feet. She landed back on the ground and shot the man in the abdomen throwing him away several feet. Tabatha cocked the gun and took another look around. "Is it over Captain?" she asked.

"You're doing really well, but you're not out of the woods yet keep it up," said Brandan, "These guys that your fighting are only the equivalent to an average building security guard I'm upping the difficulty level to three."

The men that Tabatha had disposed of disappeared and she could hear more movement in the area. A man stepped into view dressed in a black and white swat uniform and holding an assault rifle. The man took aim and opened fire, Tabatha quickly reacted by running up one of the pillars as the bullets whipped by her. She bounded off the pillar and twirled in the air as the bullets quickly flew by her as she spun and landed behind the man and shot him in the back. Several other men appeared around her and began shooting, Tabatha did several back flips to avoid the shots fired. She dodged as much as she could until she got behind one of the pillars. She cocked her gun and did a cart wheel between the pillars firing two shots hitting both men with ease. Tabatha new that as long as she held her focus she would be all right. She put her back to a pillar and listened. "I know you're there," she whispered to herself. Tabatha quickly looked around pillar and ended up staring down the barrel of a shotgun. The man pulled the trigger and time slowed down as the bullet moved through the barrel. Tabatha tilted her head back and dropped to the ground as the bullet whisked by her, she did a back flip and kicked the gun out of his hand. She stood up straight and raised her gun smiling at the man as she pulled the trigger sending a bullet to his head.

"Ok Tab here comes the big one lets see what you can do," said Parker.

Just then an agent stepped into view and several of the pillars vanished to give her room to fight. Tabatha's eyes widened as the agent straightened his tie, she took a near bye gun from the floor and reloaded it. She took to running at him with both hand guns firing at him, the agent began dodging with ease as the bullets whisked by him. Tabatha got with in arms reach just as the guns were empty. The agent reached for her but as he did, Tabatha moon-saulted over him and did a cartwheel grabbing an assault rifle from the ground as she rolled. Tabatha quickly turned around and ran back at him doing another moon-sault and firing down at the agent as she floated over him. Several of the bullets hit the agent knocking him down, Tabatha landed on the ground and dropped the gun as he fell to the ground.

"Dealt with." Tabatha stood as the area around her transformed back to the construct program.

"Well done Tab," said Brandan, "we're pulling you out now."

Tabatha closed her eyes and opened them again to be look up at Colin as he pulled the jack from her neck.

"Good job Tab," he said, "Captain who's going next?" Brandan looked around at each member of the crew as Tabatha walked over and stood beside him. Colin shrugged his shoulders and stepped forward.

"I'll go," he said. Isaiah walked over to a chair and Colin followed him and sat down.

"You think your ready for what's about to happen, Colin?" asked Brandan. Colin smiled.

"Just get me in there." Isaiah shoved the jack in and Colin closed his eyes as he was loaded into the program.

Colin opened his eyes to the white zone of the construct.

"Alright Colin get ready this won't be easy," said Parker. Colin stood up straight as the rooftops loaded around him. A hunched over man with a strange look on his face appeared at the other end of the rooftop.

"Who's this guy?"

"This is a simulated version of an exile that has been giving the rebels trouble since before Neo was around. His name is Cujo and he works for the Merovingian, no one that has encountered him has been able to beat him to this date," explained Parker.

"Thanks for the info, I doubt that will be true after this, is he an exact replica?"

"You got it the program is starting." Cujo looked at Colin and smirked.

"This is ending here," he said and walked toward him.

"You don't know how right you are pal," said Colin cracking his knuckles and starting to walk toward him. Cujo jumped into the air and landed right in front of Colin, beginning a series of powerful blows hitting him hard. Colin blocked the majority of the attacks successfully then kicked him back and began his own series of attacks finishing with an uppercut.

"Not bad for a human!" Cujo was knocked into the air and landed flat on his feet. "Now lets see how you handle this." Cujo landed in front of Colin so quickly he had no time to react and struck him once in each side the slapped him across the face with both hands knocking him down.

"Holy shit where did that come from I can see this is gonna take some serious concentration."

Colin got to his feet quickly as Cujo ran at him, he focused and time began to slow down. Colin attacked Cujo relentlessly striking at him with his fists and feet flying.

"Let's see how you like this!" Colin jumped in the air and did a round house kick hitting Cujo in the chest and sending him to the ground. Colin quickly ran over and kicked Cujo across the floor. Cujo laid on the ground for a few seconds as Colin stood ready for him. "That's what I thought." Colin stood up straight and cracked his neck.

"Is that all Captain?" There was no answer, Colin walked over to the body and looked at him. "Hmm." Colin went to bend over and Cujo jumped up kicking him in the chin, Colin did a back flip and landed on his feet. Cujo flew into him with both feet hitting him in the chest and knocking him into a near by utility shed. Colin's nose started to bleed and Cujo grabbed him by the neck.

"You foolish human you think you can get me with a pitiful attack like that?" Cujo squeezed tighter and tighter around his neck as Colin grabbed Cujo's arms.

"Your not doing as good as you think vampire!" Colin kicked him in the side several times trying to get him to release his neck. Using the wall as grounding Colin lifted his feet and pushed on Cujo as hard as he could sending him away from him.

As Colin continued to fight inside the computer Brandan and the others looked on from the outside.

"Captain, what is the point of this test?" asked Saba.

"Saba Colin needs to learn when to give up in situations like this, he doesn't seem to realize that he inside the matrix he is not always going to be able to win," said Brandan.

"I see, well how far are you going to let it go?"

"Don't worry Saba the program can't kill him, it can definitely give him a good thrashing though." Tabatha walked over and looked at him in his chair.

"He could definitely use one of those I think," she said.

"Parker let's give him a little more competition I don't think he realizes that he can't win just yet." Parker nodded and hit a few buttons on his keyboard.

Back inside the program Colin had just hit Cujo away from him and was getting his composure back two more exiles appeared and jumped onto the building. Before they could respond Colin ran at them and tore into them with a combo knocking one of them off the building and hitting the other one to the ground. Colin felt a fist sink into his back and he fell forward.

"God damn it how am I supposed to do this Captain?! I don't understand." Colin held himself up on his hands and looked at the ground as he thought for a second.

"Are you ready to give up human?" asked Cujo walking over to him with a knife in his hand.

"I think I get it now." Colin jumped up in the air and landed on the other side of Cujo kicking him in the back with a horse kick, then took off running. As he came to the edge of the building time seemed to slow down as Colin focused his hardest as he bounded into the air between the buildings. He landed on the other side and looked back drawing his gun. The exiles were running at him and as they jumped into the air to follow him Colin drew his gun firing at both of them knocking the underling to the ground below, the bullets collided with Cujo's chest and blood sprayed but he stayed on track. Colin turned to run again and took off focusing his hardest of staying ahead of the creature that wasn't far behind him. He jumped into the air and his phone rang, he grabbed it and quickly put it to his ear.

"What is it?"

"Get to the phone Colin," said Saba on the other end. Colin put his phone away and he could hear a phone ringing in the distance. He landed on the ground and quickly scanned the surrounding buildings for the sign of the phone. He spotted the utility phone four buildings away and took to running again just as Cujo hit the ground. Colin pushed himself as hard as he could focusing his speed to as much as he could muster. Colin began moving so fast that he became nothing but a blur to his enemies and made the last jump to the building the maintenance phone was on. Colin turned around to be starring Cujo right in the eye.

"Foolish human, you need to learn to never look back." He swung at Colin hitting him several times in the chest then grabbed him by the jacket and through him of the building.

Colin was now falling to the ground below but was luckily able to grab a hold of a flagpole sticking out of the side of the building. He flipped around on it several times and threw himself back toward the rooftop landing his feet firmly on the ground. Colin ran at Cujo and jumped over him landing several feet away out of reach of his long arms shortly reaching the phone and being taken to safety.

Colin sat up in his chair as Tabatha pulled the jack from his neck.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"That was a test to see whether or not you knew when to give up, and you passed," said Saba.

"Whew," Colin stood up and walked over to the computer,

"See I'm even good at retreating."

"Maybe so . . . Saba your next have a seat." Saba took up a position in her chair and Colin walked over and jacked her in kissing her on the lips.

"Good luck babe." Saba smiled and closed her eyes as she was loaded in.

"What should we do for her captain?" asked Parker.

"We're gonna send her into a situation that she can come to the top in. Load her into the training dojo and make her have to deal with three enemies at once all at her level of skill." Parker nodded and loaded her in as the captain ordered.

Saba opened her eyes and she was in the training dojo in full battle uniform. Suddenly three large men walked into the dojo from three separate entrances.

"Remember you can do this," she said to herself. The first of the three men started to run at her and time seemed to slow down as she ducked to trip him then kick him in the chest in mid air knocking him away. The two others started towards her and she ran back at them and quickly engaged them to a quick surprise attack. Saba jumped into the air kicking both of them, one with each foot, then tore into one of them as she landed on her feet. She attacked the man relentlessly until on of the others came up behind her attempting to grab her, Saba did a backwards round house kick hitting the back attacker in the face stumbling him. The man she had been attacking took advantage of the distraction and as she landed hit her in the face. Saba took the hit with grace, back flipping away from him. Saba got her feet on the ground and regained her bearings and the first one she had dealt with had regained his composure and was near her. The man kicked at her and Saba blocked with her forearm, then grabbed him by the leg and threw him into the others who running at her.

Meanwhile on the outside Brandan and the others were watching Saba as she fought.

"She's doing really well, I somehow didn't expect this much from her," said Parker.

"She and I have been practicing with our free time on occasion," said Colin.

"Really shows," Brandan paused and looked at Isaiah who was sitting quietly, "Ok Isaiah get ready you're going in. Parker set up the computer to run two different simulations." Brandan walked over to the chair and beckoned to Isaiah who shortly followed as Parker began setting up the system. Isaiah smiled at Brandan and laid down in the chair.

"You ready?" Brandan slid the jack into Isaiah's neck.

"How ready are you ever for that feeling I still can't get used to it." Isaiah sat and waited for Parker to configure the computer.

"Are you ready yet god, I can't just sit here like this it's itching." Brandan walked over to Parker and looked at the computer.

"What's taking so long?"

"Sorry Captain, the system wasn't adapting right I've got it now though." Parker hit several keys on the across the board and there was a strange noise as the power went up as the computer set up to run on two separate driver systems. The main power came back on and the system was successfully separated.

"Ok can you send me in already!" said Isaiah. Parker hit a few more buttons and Isaiah was inside a separate training simulator.

Meanwhile Saba was still dealing with the three men getting frustrated. Saba jumped into the air as one of the men ran at her and kicked him in the head breaking his neck. The other two men stopped in their tracks and looked at her as she landed on her feet.

"Who's next?" Saba turned to look at them and they each looked at each other, then back to her and began to run at her. Saba jumped into the air and kicked each of them in the face with her feet twirling in the air and landing facing them again. Saba attacked the next one as fast and as hard as she could delivering several blows before he could react. Saba threw one last hard punch and the man fell to the ground as his neck swung around, breaking under the pressure.

Isaiah opened his eyes and he was inside the construct program.

"Ok Cap, what do I gotta do?" asked Isaiah.

"Just wait a second the processor is a little slow loading its not done yet," said Parker. Isaiah stood and watched as the program seemed to load in slow motion all around him. In his vision everything was severely distorted and almost like a choppy old video game.

"Captain are you sure its safe to be doing this, seems kinda choppy or something. It's like a bad video game or something." Isaiah looked around he had been loaded into a carnival.

"What the hell . . ."

"Just sit tight Isaiah, Parker is still working out the bugs in the system we have never used the Navras' computer to do this before," said Brandan. Isaiah sat on a nearby bench and waited for the program to be adjusted. He looked around and everything seemed to phase in and out of virtual reality and was back to normal.

"Ok so now that, that problem is fixed. I bet your wondering why your in a carnival?"

"Yeah kinda." Just then a tent appeared in front of him.

"Inside the tent you will find your test," Isaiah walked into the tent, "It's a pretty basic test just hit until you hit the top." Isaiah looked at the pillars in front of him, there was a bell and a spot for him to hit.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Back on the outside.

"Captain who came up with that idea?" asked Colin. Parker smiled.

"It's an adaptation of a children's program from Zion, I just made a few tweaks to it." They watched as Isaiah began hitting the spot on the pillar sending the bell up it a quarter of the way. "He can do a lot better than that," said Parker.

"I don't understand he doesn't seem to know how to focus on everything at once," said Parker.

"He can but he just doesn't know how to proportion his abilities properly." Brandan looked into the screen at both of the crewmen. "Saba's doing really well."

The simulations went on all night until Brandan had decided that the crew's ability was up to snuff the night ended and they had retired for the evening. Colin and Saba were lying in bed in each other's arms.

"Colin how do you feel about tomorrow?" asked Saba.

"I think if we all do our best we will come out on top for sure."

"We'll be working directly with other teams all of us working as one. What if we can't perform as well as the rest of them and we mess something up?" Colin put his arms around Saba and squeezed slightly.

"Don't worry babe we'll come out on top, we always do. Just relax and try to get a good sleep." Saba laid her head on Colin's chest and closed her eyes.

"I love you Colin."

"I love you too." Colin and Saba went to sleep in anticipation of what was to come.

Brandan was up in the Captain's quarters at his screen having a conference meeting with Locke and the other two captains' that were involved.

"Brandan you, Niobe, and Soren will be working together as a single unit to get this mission done I am uploading the information to each of you. This plan will work but it will be extremely difficult, you must all be at your guard. As such your crew must do the same is that understood?"

"Yes sir," said all three Captains.

"My system is showing that the upload has complete it, I suggest that you and your crews review it thoroughly and begin at 0500 inside that matrix. Commander Locke signing off." Locke's transmission ended and the other two captain's were still on the screen.

"Well boys you better get to bed we've got an early day tomorrow," said Niobe.

"We'll be fine guys we can do anything we put our minds too," said Soren.

"Are we going to be going in as an entire crew?"

"No however your entire crew will be mobilized as my crew only consists of Ghost and myself."

"Alright no problem, I'm signing off I will talk to you both at 0400 good night." The captains nodded and Brandan signed off the system.


	33. End Game Part 1

Chapter 33: End Game, Part One

Chapter 33: End Game (Part 1)

Brandan sat in the drivers seat of the Navras they were flying cautiously through the tunnels to find another place to sit the large vessel while they were completing there mission inside. Dan sat beside him in the pilot seat with Isaiah at the holographic's station and Colin was manning the main gun.

"Have you got anything for me Isaiah?" asked Brandan.

"Hmm, seems to me like there is a place that's about a kilometer away from our current position, take a left at this next junction," said Isaiah.

"Colin anything on the weapon scanners?"

"No sir all is clear if there is anything around us then it's just out of scanner range, so they don't know we are here either."

"Take another right up here Captain that'll pretty much place us in the spot we should be in." Brandan flew the ship around a large corner and could see the spot Isaiah was speaking of. They flew silently to the desired spot and Dan and the captain parked the vessel. Brandan looked back at the others they nodded to him and got up to head to the broadcast deck.

Isaiah and Colin walked down into the broadcast deck just as the ship landed. They could feel the jolt as it hit the ground and they could see that Parker and the others were checking out the systems running diagnostics on everything. It was 3 am and everyone still had the just woke up look on their face.

"How is everything going?" asked Colin.

"Everything is up and running smoothly the rest is up to you guys, all systems go," said Parker.

"How is everyone holding up?" asked Isaiah looking around at the others.

"Well the girls are slightly nerved up about the situation, but that's nothing different, this is a major mission." Isaiah and Colin walked over to the seats. Brandan and Dan walked down the stairs and the ship went into power save mode and everything went dark except for the code screen and the broadcast system.

"All right guys we're ready to go. We're gonna load into the construct program and our information will be uploaded and explained in detail," said Brandan.

"Have you been into contact with the other captains yet?" asked Tarra.

"I was in communication with them last night we will be givin the meeting place once we're inside and we will have to be there for 0400, so let's get in there and get started." Brandan walked over and sat down in one of the chairs, the others shortly followed and Parker went around jacking each of them into their computer.

"Alright guys good luck with the mission and call me if you need me." Parker sat down in his seat and began to type in the commands to send them into the construct.

Brandan opened his eyes and they were standing in the construct program, the others were standing around him.

"Alright guys here's the plan," said Brandan as a table appeared and they each took a seat.

"Zion's most skilled operators have been working on a top secret weapon. We have seen examples in the past of this weapon, it's a special bomb designed to disrupt the very fabric of the matrix. Doing this it will literally wipe out the fields if we do this right. There are six retrieval ships that will be put on stand by to retrieve the ones that are released. Our job is too make sure that these weapons are properly planted in the right spots so that it will effect the entire matrix as a whole. If we fail to do so then our efforts will be completely in vain. The points that these bombs must be planted at have been uploaded to you. There will be three placed. One will be placed in the main city close to the freeway, the next in little Tokyo next to the slums, and the final one will be placed in the subway system."

"Do we know who we will be assigned with yet?" asked Tarra crossing her hands on the table. Brandan nodded.

"Yes, you and Isaiah will accompany Niobe and Ghost. I will be going with Binary of the Vigilant and Tabatha and Dan. Colin, you and Saba will accompany Captain Soren, any questions?" Brandan looked around the table at his crew waiting for someone to say something. "Then I take it we are ready to go then." They each stood up and the table and chairs disappeared and the weapons table loaded up. They each walked up to the table and picked a weapon.

"Alright here we go," said Isaiah looking at the others, as they were loaded into the Matrix.

All three of the vehicles loaded up, Brandan climbed aboard the Captain's Thrown, Dan and Tarra jumped into the Acura Integra, and Colin jumped into the drivers seat of the Mustang and Isaiah, Tabatha and Saba followed him in. The engines started and began to rev as they pulled out of the warehouse and started through the city to the meeting spot. Brandan flew down the road with the two cars close beside him as they drove they were joined by Niobe and Soren's crew, Niobe in her Thunderbird and Soren in his Chrysler m300. The two other vehicles pulled up along side of Brandan, he looked at each captain and nodded as they pulled ahead of him and continued on. Brandan continued down the road and they each made their way to the sewer system where they would be meeting with the others.

Brandan and the others pulled into the parking lot and stood up next to the other two cars parking his bike alongside the others. They each walked into the sewer system and went down the stairs to see Niobe, Ghost, Soren and Binary all standing at the table.

"Captain," said Niobe nodding to him.

"Niobe," Brandan nodded back to her as they filed down the stairs.

"Alright guys," said Soren as the last of them made it down the steps, "You've all been given your orders correct?"

"Yes Captain Soren, we can leave when ever you're ready," said Colin stepping forward.

"We'll be taking the subway isn't that how it works?" asked Saba smiling and stepping up beside Colin.

"That's correct, we need to leave now, Binary go with Brandan to Little Tokyo."

"Ok no problem Captain, I'll see you when this is over. Good luck." Binary nodded to Soren as they walked by her and headed out.

"Good luck guys be safe," said Brandan.

"Isaiah I'm glad to be able to work with you once again," said Niobe walking over to him and patting him on the shoulder. Isaiah smiled at her.

"Are you ready to leave yet?" he asked. Ghost and Niobe walked over to them.

"Come on we're taking the subway system," said Ghost. Tarra and Isaiah nodded at the others and went up the stairs just as Soren's car was pulling out of the parking lot.

"Well Tab, Binary, Dan let's go," said Brandan.

"Aye, aye Captain," said Binary as they head up the stairs.

They went up stairs and had gotten outside just as Niobe's Thunderbird was pulling out of the parking lot.

"We're taking the Mustang, Dan you drive," said Brandan. They hopped in the vehicle and sped off. They pulled out of the parking lot and drove through the city to the crowded streets of Little Tokyo. They parked the car in an alleyway and went out into the street. "How close to the building are we Binary?" asked Brandan. Binary looked at her wrist watch locator tool and then looked back at him.

"Its about a quarter of a mile up the street from here, Captain," she explained.

"Ok good lets keep moving." Brandan and the other continued on pushing there way un-noticed through the mass of people. As they walked Tabatha looked around trying to see the sites that used to be some of her favorite places to go. Now all they were was just a jumble of code in a false reality that she had almost grown to despise now that she had experienced the real world andthe life it had to offer her.It was almost hard for her to believe that there weren't more people like her and the others that were out there realizing the fakeness of their surroundings. She knew that others obviously existed but why were there only so few? They quickly came up on the building they were to enter. It didn't look like anything special on the outside, but in reality it was one of the main server points for the matrix itself. Brandan looked around and there were no guards visible on the outside. "Do you guys see anything?" he asked.

"Nothing here," said Dan.

"Yeah I don't see anything either," said Tabatha.

"What about on the inside Binary?" Binary focused and brought up a hack screen, doing a window hack so that she would be able to see inside the building.

"There's nothing that I can see on the first point but the actual server point is on the third floor, so we may not run into anything until we get there," she explained.

"Alright guys lets move in then, we don't have the time to waste," said Brandan. Brandan jumped up to a first floor window that just so happened to be hanging open, the others quickly followed.

Brandan got his feet on the floor and looked around the building focusing on the code trying to see exactly where he should set the bomb. The others got in and they walked calmly and quickly toward the stairs that would take them to the floor where they were to set the bomb. They walked up the steps and turned a corner to keep going when they heard a noise on the second floor.

"What was that?" asked Dan. Tabatha took out her gun and cocked it.

"Keep going you guys I'll secure this floor," she said as she stepped off the stair well.

"Ok good luck," said Brandan. The others kept moving while Tabatha went to look into the noise they had heard on the second floor.

Tabatha slowly opened the door and swept the room with her eyes before entering watching for any type of movement. Seeing nothing Tabatha slowly stepped into the room and looked around the corners quickly.

"Hello?" she called out hesitantly. She seen a dark figure step into view, it was one of the Merovingian's exiles. "What are you doing here?" asked Tabatha pointing her gun quickly.

"Funny I was just about to ask you the same thing little lady." The man stepped into complete view. It was Kane one of the Frenchman's head fighters. Tabatha having been informed of the Merovingian's full roster opened fire shooting the man several times not seeming to have an effect as the man approached her.

"All right I guess I will just have to do this the old fashion way." Tabatha quickly flew into him with all her might hitting him several times in the face then jumping into the air and kicking him in the face. Kane quickly recovered from her attack and bent his neck then looked at her and smiled.

"Is that the best you can do?" Kane took up a fighting stance and started to attack her quickly swinging at her Tabatha blocked most of the attacks.

"No actually it wasn't I was just seeing if I was gonna have to try to kick your ass or not fucker!" Tabatha focused and time seemed to slow down as she hit him in the stomach with her fist, then snapped him in the face with her other hand and as he bent over kneeing him in the face, she ended with a powerful kick hitting him against the wall.

"Bitch!" Kane got to his feet and took a gun from his trench coat. Tabatha's eyes widened as she saw the gun.

"Uh oh!" Kane let several bullets fly at her and she jumped in the air spinning sideways as the bullets whisked by her, noticed that the bullets were shining silver. She landed low on the ground balancing herself on one hand and jumped up grabbing the gun out of his hand and throwing him to the ground as she spun around. Tabatha pointed the gun at him and fired off a round hitting him in the arm.

"Ah damn." He jumped up and kicked her into the wall and jumped out a nearby window.

"Damn it, got away." Suddenly her phone rang and she picked up, it was the captain.

"Are you ok down there?"

"I'm fine, did you expect otherwise?"

"No of course not I fully believe in your ability to take care of yourself. What was all the commotion down there?"

"It was one of the Merovingian's henchmen, I shot him and he took off out the window. I'll clear the rest of this floor and catch up with you soon."

"Ok see you soon Tab." Tabatha hung up the phone and went on to check the floor.

The others were just about to the spot they were to plant the bomb and the captain had just hung up the phone.

"What was the noise, is she ok?" asked Binary.

"Yes she's ok, apparently one of the Merovingian's men was in the area, she took care of him though," said Brandan looking around as they arrived at the place, "We're here Binary get the bomb set up but don't set the timer yet." Binary nodded and went about setting up the bomb with Dan's help.

Meanwhile at that very moment, Niobe pulled onto the freeway with Ghost in the passenger side and Tarra and Isaiah in the back seat.

"So Niobe where exactly is this place that we're looking for?" asked Tarra. Niobe looked back at her in the rearview mirror.

"It's located in a construction site just off of exit fifty five," she said, "Don't worry its not that far from here."

"I'm not worried, just wondering."

"What kind of resistance can we expect?" asked Isaiah. "That is something we won't know until we get there," said Ghost checking his gun over. They drove slowly and a cop car pulled up and passed them. Niobe took out her phone and put it to her ear.

"Sparks?!"

"They haven't sent out any calls yet so I think you should be fine but make sure you get off there as quickly and quietly as you can or you could get some unwanted attention."

"Ok." Niobe quickly hung up her phone.

"Everything ok Captain?" asked Ghost.

"We're fine for now." The exit they were to turn off of quickly came up and they took it, shortly they arrived at the site. The parked the car in an inconspicuous spot and got out.

Isaiah got out of the car and looked up.

"You've got to be kidding me." The construction site was a half finished skyscraper that had already had about thirty floors onto it. "How the hell are we going to find the place to plant it with such a broad place to check?" Niobe smiled at Isaiah.

"With a little hope and help from the ones that watch over us," she took out her phone, "Sparks where is the spot and is the elevator working?"

"The utility elevator is working but they have placed armed guards, should be no problem to take down though, it's about twenty feet away from you on the other side of the building. And the spot you are looking to plant out little toy is on the seventeenth floor. Doesn't look like it's being guarded I'm not seeing any activity."

"Great." Niobe put her phone back in her jacket and started to walk. "Follow me, there is an elevator over here, Tarra we're gonna need a slight distraction there is some guards just something small so Isaiah and I can get in there and knock some heads."

"Alright," said Tarra. They followed Niobe to the corner of the building. Niobe nodded at Tarra and she pulled up her hack screen, she tapped a few buttons on her screen and the guards suddenly started to break out laughing at each other seemingly. Tarra nodded back to her and Niobe smiled at her then looked to Isaiah and they both quickly took into action moving until they were behind them un-noticed. They each grabbed one of the guards and put him in a chokehold until they shortly fell limp. They tossed the guards limp bodies to the ground and Niobe hit the button for the elevator return, and they waited for a few minutes.

"Gotta love the hasteful maintenance elevators," said Isaiah.

"Yeah really we could of ran up the building faster than this," said Ghost his arms folded. Just then there was a slight grinding of metal as the elevator came to a halt. Isaiah was the first to step in as the door opened, the others shortly followed.

"By the way Tarra what did you make them see that was so funny?" asked Niobe.

"I made them see each other naked," she answered.

"Nice," said Isaiah smiling as the door closed. Niobe looked at Tarra with a smirk on her face and hit the button to take them to the seventeenth floor. "So what now?" asked Isaiah. Niobe leaned against the wall and crossed her arms.

"We wait." Isaiah leaned against the wall and slid down to sit in wait.

"You know Isaiah we really don't know what's at the top of this elevator, you should be ready for anything," said Tarra.

"Yeah your right." Isaiah stood up and took out his gun to be ready. Tarra stood and watched the elevator go up in number as it went slowly from floor to floor, 4, 5, 6, 7. Tarra brought up her hack screen and typed in a hack to watch through the elevator door as they went up floor-by-floor 10, 11, 12, 13.

"So what do you see anything we should be worried about?" asked Niobe.

"No I don't see anything watching the doors yet." 15, 16, 17. Niobe hit the stop button.

"Are we clear?" asked Ghost. Tarra nodded and Ghost hit the button to open the door. Niobe and Isaiah jumped through and then swept the room before they quickly began to file in.

"Ok guys let's move we're clear," said Niobe urgently. With Niobe in the lead and guns drawn they quickly headed to the spot they were to set the bomb.

Captain Soren, Saba and Colin we're in the car with Soren driving slowly through the traffic of one of the busier strips of town heading to the subway.

"We would make it there quicker if we parked somewhere and walked there," said Saba.

"Yeah that's what I am beginning to think," said Soren turning a corner to a back street.

"We can park back here and walk to the subway." Soren drove a short distance into the alley and parked under an emergency stairwell to one of the apartment buildings. They got out of the car and walked back toward the main street. "We're about two blocks from the subway let's go."

They made their way slowly through the crowd trying not to seem in too much of a hurry so they would blend in with the crowd. The people in the street were pushy and impatient almost running into them on several different occasions. Colin looked around at the businessmen and women in the streets these were the people that supposedly ran the world that he used to be part of, it was so weird to be an onlooker now, why couldn't they see past the lie. Soon enough . . .

As they walked Saba couldn't help but feel like she was being watched but she could figure out where the feeling was coming from even by focusing on her surroundings. She decided to dismiss the feeling as they came to the subway stairs. They headed down into it and it was surprisingly empty considering the time of day it was. Just a few loners and a bum laying in a bundle of rags in the corner.

"Where is everybody?" asked Saba.

"Good question," Soren put his phone to his ear," yeah, where is everyone?"

"Three of the main subway terminals are undergoing some heavy construction so the public bus system is now overloaded with the people that normally take the subway. There doesn't seem to be anything strange going on from what I can tell just be on guard." Soren put his phone away and they started walking.

"We'll be fine it's just slow due to some construction in the other subway stations. Come on we have to get this over with." Saba and Colin looked at each other and kept following Soren.

They reached the bottom of the steps and three exiles dropped from the ceiling.

"We don't know what you are doing here, but the boss doesn't like it so we're here to stop you," said the one in the lead in a demonic voice.

"We don't have time for this," said Soren with his arms crossed.

"Let's get'em boys," said Saba. The three of them sprang into action taking on the one that was closest to them. The leader drew a gun and Soren quickly grabbed it from him and back handing him across the face sending him to the ground. Soren jumped in the air and slammed his knee down on the mans face then kicked him off the side.

Saba began with a series of kicks hitting the man with a full four hit combo stunning him, she hit him three times in the chest then kneed him sending him into the wall with a shattering crash.

"Do you really think you can hurt us with such attacks foolish humans."

"We'll see how this goes!" said Colin. Colin quickly jumped into action attacking the third exile with a six hit combo swiftly and easily landing each blow as the exile was stunned he drew his knife and did a flip around in the air off his back then slit the exiles throat quickly the kicked him in the back sending him flying across the room.

"They aren't so tough." The exile Saba had attacked got back to his feet and came at her swinging, she blocked four of the five attacks and began to focus getting frustrated. Time seemed to slow down as Saba struck the exile several times in the face then ducked down and grabbed his foot and slammed him against the ground. Saba tilted her head and smirked at Colin.

"Good job," said Colin smiling back.

"You fool did you think I would die so easily," said The Demonic voice. The three of them turned to see the exile Soren had fought standing as though nothing had happened. They each looked at each other and took after the exile together.

Saba jumped into the air and dropped kick the man and bounced off his chest flipping backwards in the air as to get out of the others way. As he was stunned from Saba's attack Soren hit him three times in the face swirling around with his last hit putting his weight behind the final blow knocking him to the ground. Colin jumped into the air with his knife in hand and dove at the man plunging the knife into his chest.

"Good work you two," said Soren, "Now lets do what we came to do, secure the area make sure there is nothing that will stand in our way from here on."

"Alright Captain," said Colin. Colin and Saba dispersed around the area to secure it.

"Is this where we are supposed to set it?" asked Saba.

"Yes its one of the main system focal points for the matrix. If this plan goes right then it should disrupt the entire matrix."

"Oh, what happens if we get caught in it?"

"The body cannot live without the mind you know this." Saba nodded and went about scanning around the area.

"Looks like everything is clear," said Colin, "There is no further activity in the area." Soren nodded and took his phone.

"Sparks we're in position how are the others doing?"

"The others are ready when you are?" Soren took out the device and set it down on the ground getting ready to arm it.

"Get the others on the line and tell me when to arm it, I don't have to tell you if we are even a second off then our efforts will fail."

Back with Niobe's team they had made it to the proper place undisturbed. Niobe was on the phone with Sparks and Soren as she placed the bomb into position.

"Alright guys I'm ready to blow this thing when you are, just say when Sparks where is Brandan's team what is taking them so long?"

"Hold on I have an incoming call on line three. It's Brandan."

"Ok Sparks I've got this thing set just tell me when to hit the button." Brandan looked around at the floor they were on things just seemed to be going a little too easy.

"Alright everyone on three?" asked Niobe.

"On three," repeated Soren and Brandan.

"Ok . . ." said Sparks, "One two."

"Oh shit Niobe look out!!" they heard Isaiah's voice yell."


	34. End Game Part 2 Ambush

Chapter 34: The Ambush (End Game Part 2)

Just as Niobe had her finger on the button an agent broke through the wall and her phone hung up.

"Shit, abort, abort get to your exits they knew we were coming," yelled Sparks into the phone. Niobe fell backwards shielding her face from the debris of the wall.

"Niobe what do we do?" asked Isaiah.

"Abort, the mission failed." Niobe jumped to her feet and attacked the agent briefly. "Get out of here I'll hold them off."

"Captain that's suicide."

"Don't worry about me just go." Niobe attacked the agent and he hit her in the chest knocking her back. The others quickly turned to run but were headed off at the door by two more agents.

"Did you really think such a plot would go un-noticed you fools." Isaiah jumped at the agent as fast as he could and timed slowed almost to a halt as he struck the first of several blows at the agent knocking it out of the doorway.

"We're surrounded and outnumbered Niobe what do we do?" yelled Tarra.

"There's always a way! FOR ZION!" yelled Niobe delivering a power-striking combo to the agent that came through the wall. Tarra brought up a hack screen and did a viral code hack to help slow the agent down taking away some of the speed they were known for although it still wasn't enough to beat them. Ghost drew his gun and shot at the one that Isaiah distracted hoping to land a shot when he was suddenly disarmed and thrown against a wall. "We have to get out of here! Tarra knock out that wall we'll have to take to the rooftops," ordered Niobe as she was knocked to the ground and quickly jumped to her feet. Tarra again called up her hack screen and did a powerful force wave hack to knock out the wall and the four of them ran and jumped to the next building with bullets whisking by them. They landed their feet on the ground and took to running.

"Oh shit, Sparks what happened?" asked Brandan being the last one left on the line Soren had already hung up.

"They were ambushed get to your exits." Brandan hung up his phone and picked up the device.

"What happened Captain?" asked Tabatha.

"Captain Niobe's team was ambushed."

"Lets get to the exit." Tabatha turned to open the door and was looking down the barrel of one of the agent's gun. The gun went off and time slowed as Tabatha quickly moved and the bullet whisked by her and Dan and into the wall. "Oh shit."

"The stairs quick!" yelled Binary as she hacked a wall infront of the door blocking the agent. The four of them took off up the stairs running towards the rooftops. It wasn't long before they could hear the footsteps on the way up the steps behind them as they ran.

"Hurry up we have to make it to the rooftops it's our only hope of escaping," said Brandan a bullet whisked by his head. They kept running and suddenly burst through the door to the rooftops. In the distance they could hear a helicopter.

Back in the subway Soren had just picked up the device and started toward the subway entrance when a brick wall suddenly appeared.

"Oh shit." Soren turned to see three agents standing on the opposite end of the subway stop.

"Oh no we're trapped," said Saba.

"You humans are so predictable, give you some kind of bate and you flock all around it, give up the others are dead," said the one in the lead. Colin took out his phone and put it to his ear there was nothing but static. "We have jammed your signal you will fail."

"There's no way you could have caught the others in such a short time they are not dead!" yelled Colin.

"Where do we go we can't escape," said Saba. Just then a subway car could be heard in the distance. Colin and Soren took out their guns and began firing at the agents obviously thinking the same thing, Saba quickly followed their example.

"Ok you two we've only got one chance when that train goes by jump at it and grab on, it's our only chance of survival," said Soren. The train sped by and time seemed to slow to a halt as they jumped at it and grabbed a hold of the side of it and it stormed down the subway track.

"Colin I don't know if I can hold on much longer," said Saba struggling to keep her grip.

"Yes you can just believe!" They held on until it came to the next subway stop and they ran through the crowd of people toward the streets.

"Get to that car." Soren pointed to a nearby Monte Carlo and they ran to it and hopped in. Colin jumped in the driver's seat and Saba beside him Soren crawled in the back. "Go go go!" Colin quickly started the car that someone had carelessly left the keys in and sped away. "Get to the highway as quick as you can." Saba got on the phone.

"Parker are the others ok?"

"Yes they are all fine for now don't worry about them just get yourselves the hell outta there." Colin looked at Saba out of the corner of his eye as he drove waiting for the news on the others.

"They're fine don't worry." Colin had a look of instant relief on his face.

"Look out behind you!" said Parker just as a car rammed them from behind.

"It's an agent," said Colin looking in the mirror.

"I'll take care of it!" Soren shot out the back window and began firing on the agent car and it pulled back for now. "Keep going that was only temporary." Colin pulled onto the highway.

"Here we go again I don't care if I ever see another highway in my lifetime." They could hear the cop cars in the distance.

"Shit I hope the others are having better luck then we are," said Saba checking the clip in her gun.

Niobe took out her phone as they landed on the ground. "Sparks where the hell is the closest exit there's no way we are gonna make it to the one we had planned for," she said urgently.

"Ok now just one second . . ."

"While we're young and still alive please."

"Ok I got one! There's one at the power station five blocks over you should be able to see it if you look to your left." Niobe looked over and could see where Sparks was talking about.

"That's the best you can do?" Niobe was annoyed clearly.

"It's the closest one to you sorry Cap I can only do with what the waiter gives me on my plate."

"Thanks." Niobe put her phone away. "The closest exit is in that power station over there don't worry we're gonna make it!" Niobe pointed to the location. Just then an agent appeared on the roof they had just come from and began shooting from.

"Captain go," said Ghost shooting back, "I'll hold him off." Niobe, Tarra and Isaiah all took off running toward the power station and Ghost finished emptying his clip and followed shortly. They made it to another roof and agent fell infront of them.

"Keep going," Isaiah yelled as he jumped and knocked the agent over the edge of the building. With that they kept going.

Brandan and the others ran until they were on top of the building and he took out his phone. "Parker where is the closest exit?" he asked.

"I'm calculating it now hang on," said Parker.

"Quicker the better man."

"Got it the power station. You can see it if you look to your left along with Niobe's team, that's the closest one that isn't being watched. Better make it quick and look out behind you." Brandan ducked and a bullet hit the wall in front of him, he put his phone away and looked to the left.

"Alright guys we gotta hurry, the exit is that power station we can make it." They began running as fast as they could and jumped to the next building bullets still whisking by them. Tabatha looked behind her.

"Persistent fuckers aren't they!" she yelled reaching into her inside coat pocket. "I've got a little something for them." She pulled out a grenade and stopped for a second. "Keep going, I'll catch up." The others kept going without her and Tabatha pulled the tab and threw the grenade onto the other building where the agents were and turned to run. The grenade shortly exploded killing two of the agents that followed them. "Haha gotcha!" Tabatha turned and kept running shortly catching the others.

"Good work Tab!" yelled Dan. They jumped to another building and the helicopter just came into site.

"Oh shit we've got bigger things to worry about right now!" yelled Binary.

"Keep going we can do this."

Colin sped down the road and took a sharp turn onto the highway.

"We're quite far from our exit. I hope we can make it," said Saba.

"You know we will we always pull through," said Colin.

"Stay sharp you two there is a helicopter pulling up on us."

"Oh shit you gotta be kidding me." Colin put the peddle to the floor and pushed the car to the extent of its engine power as they flew down the highway swerving in and out of traffic. "I've gotta get as much distance as I can between us or we're toast. You guys get ready to get that thing off me when it catches up. Saba take my gun it'll be more use to you then me." The helicopter made short of the distance between them and before long it was close and it was firing on them and they were firing back at it. "This is fucking crazy what the hell are we supposed to do?"

"We've got to get off the freeway," said Soren, "Take the next exit Colin."

"Alright." Colin quickly swerved onto the exit ramp. "Hang on tight guys!" The car was moving so fast that it went up on two wheels around the exit ramp. "Ooohhh shhiitt!" yelled Colin. The car fell back onto all four wheels and they were onto a city street and into a back ally in no time. "We've got a better chance of out running that thing on foot." Colin made a hard turn and slammed the car into a wall and they quickly piled out and ran away when the car suddenly exploded. "Whew, that was too close," said Colin.

"You're telling me," said Soren. "Just go!" Saba took off running with the others close behind her.

Niobe and the others had just jumped to one of the last two buildings between them and they're freedom. "Come on we're almost there you guys!" she yelled. They could hear the helicopter closer than ever but for some reason they couldn't see it. The helicopter suddenly appeared between the two buildings blocking their way.

"Tarra can you do something to fix that thing?" asked Ghost. "It can't hurt to try," Tarra answered.

"Stand down and you will not be harmed, we have been authorized to use extreme force. I repeat stand down and you will not be harmed," said the helicopter pilot over a megaphone. Isaiah pulled out his handgun.

"Stand down to this!" Isaiah opened fire at the pilot and the helicopter returned fire with a Gatling gun, everyone dodged and ducked for cover.

"Isaiah you're gonna get us killed!" yelled Tarra.

"Tarra hack it quickly!" Niobe was across the way with her back to one of the maintenance entrances. Tarra called up a hack screen and did a viral hack to over heat the engine on the helicopter. As it hit the copter the routers started to slow down and eventually stop. The copter came crashing down and crashed into the building in flames and explosions.

"Good job," said Ghost.

"Yeah thanks now let's get outta here!" They all ran and made the jump to the other building the agents had apparently gotten tied up because they were nowhere to be found.

"Are we in the clear?" asked Isaiah. Niobe looked at him strangely.

"You know we're never in the clear until we're out and back in the walls of Zion." They ran and made one last jump to the other building to a ringing phone. They cautiously approached the phone. Niobe got on the phone with Sparks.

"Operator." Niobe looked around.

"Are you seeing anything on the radar we should be weary of?"

"No it looks like we're good from this end, I was talking with Parker tell them to get ready he's going to pull them out first."

"Thanks Sparks." Niobe put her phone away and the maintenance phone started to ring, she looked at Tarra. "I believe it's for you." Tarra picked up the phone and disappeared.

"I hope the others make it out ok," said Isaiah taking the phone and putting it back on the hook. It began to ring again and he looked at the others.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Niobe. Isaiah took the phone and put it to his ear, he was gone.

Sparks got Niobe and Ghost out quickly in the meantime the agents had attacked Brandan and the others. Brandan ducked an attack from an agent everyone had been engaged at this point and things weren't looking good for them.

"Brandan we have to get out of here there's too many of them," yelled Tabatha, delivering a combo to her attacker. Brandan looked around to see if there was an possible exits but they were surrounded.

"I can't see an escape anybody got an idea I'd be glad to entertain it. Binary how about giving us more of an edge?" Brandan was backing off and focusing on blocking his attackers blows. They could suddenly hear an explosion from one of the neighboring buildings.

"God damnit I don't know how much longer we can keep this up!" yelled Dan. Binary called up a hack screen and hacked the agents code to try and weaken them but at this point she was not in the best shape she could be in either. Another helicopter seemed to come from nowhere on them and was shining a light on the building.

"Stand down I repeat stand down we have you surrounded." The agents stood back and pulled out their guns.

"Captain what do we do?" asked Tabatha.

"It's too dangerous, there's no way out," said Brandan to himself. "I'll go with you if you let them go!" Tabatha looked at Brandan like he was crazy.

"There's got to be another way." "We can't let them take you!" yelled Binary. Brandan ignored the others and continued to speak to the others.

"Do we have a deal?" asked Brandan. One of the agents approached him.

"What's to stop us from killing all of them and taking you anyway?"

"Damnit," Brandan whispered to himself. "Well . . ." Brandan paused as time seemed to slow down as something hit the helicopter and seemed to fly through it. The agent put his hand to his earpiece.

"It is the anomaly." Suddenly the agent was impaled on a flagpole and thrown to the ground.

"Neo good timing." Neo landed infront of Brandan where the agent was standing.

"Get to your exits I'll handle them." The agents immediately turned their attention to Neo realizing they would not be able to do anything to the others until he was gone.

"Come on guys let's go." Brandan and the others ran to the exit and made it out safely with Neo distracting the agents.

Soren and the others were still on the move trying to keep one step ahead of the agents. They had managed to elude the helicopter by staying out of site and in the sewer system.

"Someone get an operator on the phone and see where the closest exit is, I think it's safe to say we've shaken them at this point," said Colin. Soren took out his phone and dialed his operator.

"Operator."

"Yeah I need an exit which way to the closest one?" asked Soren.

"Just one second while I pull up a schematic of the sewer system," said Axel, "Ah there we are, there's an exit on the maintenance level of the city ventilation system. Take a left, a right, a left again then head down the ladder, it's clean right now and there doesn't seem to be any activity in the area since Neo decided to show up."

"Alright thanks Axel, I'll see you on the other side." Soren put away his phone. "Follow me we're almost there."

They walk the directions given to them by Axel and see the hard-line, it's ringing, they get almost within arms reach and a ghostly image appears infront of them.

"You?" said Colin, "But I took care of you already." Saba stepped back a step and looked at the familiar face.

"Caleb, why don't you just leave?" she asked.

"Because that's simply not his wish, He brought me back to life so that I may fulfill my fate." Colin looked at Soren.

"Get to the exit this is my fight, don't worry." Soren nodded and evaded Caleb to get the exit. "And what do you think your fate is Caleb."

"To destroy you of course."

"Well then I guess it's just lucky for me that I don't believe in fate, everything is based around choice and we're proof. Saba get to the exit I'll distract him." Saba looked at Colin.

"I'm staying with you, can't you sense it, he's stronger than last time, you can't do this on your own Colin." Colin smiled at Saba.

"You're right let's do this." Colin and Saba took into action, Saba taking back Colin taking front. Saba did a moonsault over Caleb to get behind him as Colin engaged him in full force. Colin attacked him with a number of combos but was not able to land any real hits, Caleb would either block or dodge by using his ability of ghosting. "God damn it, I have to focus harder, move faster." Colin picked up the pace and time began to slow down as he swung at him landing several hits. Caleb was all there was between him and their freedom. Caleb started to fight back with his own style of fighting starting to land hit after hit on Colin when he felt a shot in his back, he knocked Colin to the ground and turned his attention to Saba.

"Come on Saba we don't have to be this way." Saba tilted her head to the side a little and smirked at him.

"Oh but it does Caleb don't you see?" Saba focused and jumped into the air kicking him in the chest several times then landed on the ground. Caleb through a punch combo at Saba but she managed to dodge all three hits and counter attack with her own combo managing to land all of her hits. Saba noticed now that Caleb had lost his focus and seemed unable to perform his ghosting technique. "Colin get up he's vulnerable now!" she yelled. Colin sprung into action and time slowed as he tripped Caleb and punched him into a wall with all his might. Just as Caleb was getting to his feet Colin threw Saba into the air with her foot heading right at his face. Before Caleb could respond Saba kicked him in the face and crushed his head into the wall and the battle was over.

Brandan watched as Colin and Saba fought Caleb and ended the battle.

"What the hell are they waiting for we have to get the hell outta here?" asked Parker, "The machines had to of traced our position by now."

"Send them the signal I think they are ready to go now." Parker hit a few buttons and back inside the matrix the hard-line had begun to ring.

"Saba you go first," said Colin wiping a bit of blood from his jaw.

"Ok." Saba picked up the phone and put it to her ear disappearing. Colin walked over and put the phone back on the hook and waited a brief minute for the signal and as it rang he picked it up, placing the phone to his ear. The next thing he knew the jack was being slid out as he opened his eyes and sat up. Brandan spoke into his headset as Colin sat up.

"Dan get us out of here we're all out. Parker see if you can get the Logos and the Vigilante on the line I would like to see if they're ok."

"Aye Captain," Dan and Parker both responded. Brandan headed back up to the navigational deck along with Isaiah, obviously disappointed about the outcome of the mission. Colin put his hand on his jaw adjusting it.

"Man I can't believe we failed the mission."

"It wasn't a complete failure, we're all still alive aren't we?" said Tarra.

"Yeah I guess you're right there, but still we almost destroyed the core network, can you imagine the impact that would have had on the war?" Tarra shrugged her shoulders.

"What do you do?" Saba got down off her seat and walked over to Colin.

"Hope that the next time we try it, things go better," she said smiling at Colin.

"You did a pretty good job against Caleb back there Saba," said Parker.

"I was thinking the same thing," said Colin, "Guess someone went and got some confidence."

"I just thought of how disgusted I was at him and at what he put me through back there, that was enough for me to overcome my confidence issues." They could feel the ship lift off and begin to move. Parker dialed to the Logos and the Vigilante but was not able to get a response.

"Captain, has anything shown up on holographic?" he asked.

"We're not seeing anything in the area yet, why do you ask?" asked Isaiah.

"I can't seem to get through to the Vigilante or the Logos. Could they be out of range already?"

"Well it's possible for the Logos being the fastest ship in the fleet, but I can't see it for the Vigilante. Do you think they're in trouble?"

"I don't know what to think yet Isaiah, keep scanning for them both, as fast as possible."

"Will do."

"Parker maybe we should contact the Neb and see if they have heard from either of them," suggested Tabatha. Parker typed in the information for the Nebechainazzar and it began to ring.

"Well I've got a ring tone that's a start."

"Operator."

"Link, this is the Navras. Where are you located?"

"Oh hey Parker long time no speak, we're right over here in junction 284. Are you guys ok what can I help you with?" asked Link.

"We're fine but we were wondering about the Logos and the Vigilante have you heard anything from them?"

"They're fine but they dropped out of broadcast depth to get of the machine's scanners, we're staying here in case the oracle tries to contact us, I would suggest you follow the others lead and get off the radar for a bit. The tunnels are crawling with Calamari if you hear me."

"Loud and clear thanks for the update. Navras out." Parker hung up and opened a communication to the navigation deck. "Captain the Logos and the Vigilante have dropped out of broadcast depth to avoid being detected I just spoke with Link on board the Neb he suggested we do the same. I guess the tunnels are crawling with Sentinels."

"I agree."

Back up on the navigation deck. Dan was in the pilot's seat with Brandan as copilot and Isaiah on holographic.

"Dan take us out of broadcast depth Parker suggests that we lay low for awhile."

"Sounds good to me, adjusting course." Dan adjusted his course and flew them out of broadcast depths and into an underground cave.

"Alright guys while we're parked here I think you should go and run a full systems analysis," said Brandan into his headset, "I need to go and report our status to headquarters and see if I can get in touch with Niobe and Soren." He got up and left the room as the others began to carry out his orders, he walked into his quarters and sat at his terminal.


	35. Aftershock

Chapter 35: Aftershock

Brandan sat down in his chair and turned on his terminal and turned it on. "I better check my inbox, maybe Niobe and Soren have sent me a message," Brandan said to himself. He opened the inbox on his server and entered his access code, his broadcast inbox opened up and sure enough there was two messages from the other captains. He clicked on Niobe's message first. Her image appeared on the screen slightly blurred and there was sparks flying from the conduits behind her.

"Brandan we're currently heading out of broadcast depth with several sentinels following us. Don't worry about us I'm sure we'll make it quickly and be able to use the EMP before they damage us too badly. Niobe out!" The message ended abruptly and the next one started, Soren's face appeared on the screen.

"Soren here this is a message to confirm that our next course of action will be to drop out of broadcast depths and lay low until things die down inside the matrix. Captain Ballard of the Novalice is going to be keeping and eye on things for us and will inform us when everything has returned to normal. In the meantime I suggest you take the time to prepare for your next assignment. Stay on your toes, Vigilante out." The message ended and his screen returned to normal.

"Well good to know they made it out ok." Brandan sat and contemplated his message to headquarters and what he would say.

Meanwhile down on the weapon's deck Colin and Isaiah were checking over the gun turrets.

"I don't really expect to find much here considering we've hardly used them since we left the dock," said Isaiah getting down under one of the ammunition loaders.

"Well you never know though, better safe then sorry," said Colin calibrating the turret's targeting systems. Isaiah was moving his hands around inside the loader tightening and checking all the nuts and bolts.

"Can you believe what happened back there? We barely made it out alive."

"Yeah I know we've had a lot of those close calls recently I hope our luck doesn't run out on us."

"I hear you there," Isaiah pulled away from the loader, "This one's all set."

"Yeah just six more to go." Colin was still configuring the targeting systems. "Man something's off here, can't seem to get it to realign the way it needs to. You wanna take a look at it to see if you can get it to work right? I can handle the turret loaders." Isaiah got up from under the loaders and walked over to the targeting system.

"Yeah sure I don't mind trading I guess, it's about time I do some of the easy stuff. I'm used to working with Parker, so I usually get all the greasy work." Colin got down on the floor and slid under the loader. Isaiah started calibrating the targeting system. "Hm." Colin looked up at him.

"What is it?"

"Nothing major but I think I found what you were stuck on, it's definitely not normal."

"Think it's a virus?" Colin started back into the loader.

"I guess anything's possible but it would have to be one hell of a virus to be this far into the main system, these turret control and targeting system's are among the most well immersed in the firewall. Give me a minute."

"Sounds like you might wanna try the computers calibration system instead of manual." Isaiah tapped a few buttons on the keyboard.

"Hm looks like it might be a loose wire somewhere, I'll try a trace." Isaiah hit a few more buttons and started an electrical systems trace. "Oh shit," he said frustrated. Colin looked at him again.

"Bad news I assume."

"It's one of the internal connectors. They should have had those checked back in Zion, I think we had a lazy technician somewhere along the lines. I don't even know where to find that line, I assume you do considering you're the weapons officer."

"Yeah I have a pretty good idea. If you wanna help me get this done I can get it looked at afterwards." Isaiah got down next to the ammunition loader that was next in line.

"Alright sounds good let's get it taken care of."

Down in the engine room Dan and Tabatha were working on the hover engines.

"Man it's creepy down here, no matter how much I'm down here the feeling never changes," said Tabatha.

"I guess I know what you mean but when you stay down here as much as I do and work with the engines as much as me you tend to get used to the background noises and the hum of the engines," said Dan checking the energy distribution nodes, "There that should take care of that looks like all the energy distributors are working just fine." Dan got down off the ladder he was standing on and put his tool back in the casing.

"Sounds good we're half way through then right?" asked Tabatha.

"Well just about. We still have to test the energy output level and response time."

"Well how about you stay here and take care of the energy output levels and I can go and do the testes on the response time?"

"You sure you know how?"

"Yeah I'm sure I've done night shift before remember," laughed Tabatha.

"Alright sounds good." Dan knew that Tabatha was just trying to think of a way to get out of the engine room so he let her go with it. "Just make sure when you're doing it that you give me a shout I don't need to be fried today."

"Alright I'll give you a shout when I'm up and ready to start." Tabatha walked out of the engine room and headed up a set of dark stairs with a door at the top of the steps. She made it to the top and went through the door landing her in the broadcast deck; where Tarra, Saba and Parker were working on the broadcast terminals, she kept going and went up in a lift to the navigational room. She put on a headset and sat down. "Alright Dan can you hear me?" she asked.

"Loud and clear."

"Ok I'm going to do a test of the engines one at a time that way you can work on a different one and don't have to worry about getting shocked, sound good?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Meanwhile Saba, Tarra, and Parker were on the broadcast deck checking the terminals.

"I don't think we should have to go into much detail checking these considering they were used the just today and as far as I could tell they worked just fine," said Saba.

"Yeah we're not doing a very detailed analysis just quick run by is all it should take, mostly mechanical. You know checking for frayed wires and the like."

"I thought you said it wouldn't be a detailed check yeesh that'll take forever with all the wires that are down here," said Tarra sounding discouraged.

"We've got a device here for it but we only have two so you two can use them and I can monitor on it on the computer. It's just an information-feeding device that we plug into the terminal." Parker took the devices out of his desk and passed one to each of them. "Well girls you better get started."

"Thanks." Tarra smiled and walked back over to the terminals they started to scan. The ship shook lightly and Tabatha's voice came over the intercom.

"Sorry guys, we're running tests on the engine response time and I hit the power too hard, won't happen again."

"That would be a good thing we're working with some pretty sensitive equipment down here," said Parker.

Brandan had just finished sending off his report to headquarters when another message came through. It was from Thadeus whom they hadn't heard much from since they left the dock, he opened the message and Thadeus face appeared on the screen.

"Captain Brandan I'm sorry if I am being a burden on but I just heard the news from Captain Niobe. Although that is not why I send you this message. My first officer Cho Wei is trapped within a room in the matrix and I need your help to get her out. Encoded in this message you will find the location, I will tell you the details upon your arrival but please make haste." The message ended and Brandan looked at the screen in silence thinking for a few minutes. It couldn't be as simple as it sounds there had to be something more to it then what they were telling him. Only one-way to find out, Brandan got up out of his seat and went out to the broadcast deck.

"We'll have to finish up later guys, Captain Thadeus is asking for assistance in rescuing his first officer, some of you may already know her, Cho Wei." Brandan spoke into the intercom so all of the crew could hear him.

"Who's all going Captain sounds like too many of us would not be a good thing at this point," said Isaiah.

"Tabatha, you and Isaiah will accompany me. Dan get us back into broadcast depths." Brandan headed back up to the navigational deck, Isaiah and Dan met him there so they could start to look for a place to broadcast from.


	36. The Key

Chapter 36: The Key

Dan flew slowly through the tunnels of the real with Brandan as co-pilot and Isaiah on holographic trying to find a place for them to sit down and broadcast from. They had been flying for what seemed like hours but was only minutes.

"So what exactly did they tell you?" asked Isaiah.

"Not much really just that Cho Wei is trapped in some kind of room in the Matrix and he needs us to get her out. Why exactly is something I'm not at all sure of," explained Brandan.

"Strange how can someone get trapped in a room?" asked Dan.

"Could be any number of things," said Tarra entering the room and sitting down in the one free chair. Images kept flashing by on Isaiah's holographic scanner, scattered debris, several sentinel squads, and some clear tunnels.

"I'm not finding anything Dan, pick up the pace we need to get deeper into the broadcast depths."

"Will do." Dan pushed down on the accelerator and the ship picked up in speed.

"I'll take us to junction 211. It's usually pretty clear based on reports."

"It's also where we get the weakest signal strength. We'll only have the option of two or three of us," said Brandan. Isaiah kept scanning.

"What's our ETA?" he asked.

"Just inside fifteen minutes."

"Tarra come down to the broadcast zone with me and help me get the terminals ready," said Brandan. Tarra and Brandan headed down to the broadcast zone where the others were waiting.

"Parker did you get to do a full systems check?" asked Brandan.

"No we never got to, there wasn't enough time, but I'm quite sure that we don't have anything to worry about," said Parker. Isaiah came down the stairs after finding a broadcasting point and they began to get the system ready for broadcasting. Tabatha, Brandan and Isaiah all sat down in their chairs and waited for Dan to give the go ahead. "How much longer Danny boy?" asked Parker.

"I'm sitting it down now guys you can start your upload." Tarra, Colin and Saba each pushed in a connector needle for each person.

"Alright guys here we go good luck and play safe. Call me if you need me." Parker typed in the access codes and they were loaded into the construct program.

Brandan looked at his two crewmen and was hoping that they would be able to handle what was coming at them.

"Alright guys here goes," he said. The world literally pieced together around them and they were standing in an old hotel inside the main city. Brandan took out his phone and contacted Thadeus. "Thadeus we're on our way," he said.

"We'll be here waiting." Thadeus sounded as though he was at his wits end with this situation. Brandan put away his phone and they set out on their way to this strange room.

Isaiah looked around on the way to their destination. The city they were now walking through was a city that when he was younger he only dreamed of visiting. It was the city that everyone went to when they had finished school. He still couldn't help but wonder at the skyscrapers that reached what seemed like beyond the clouds. Although now the city and what it stood for seemed to sicken him, this was the one point in the matrix that the machines had almost absolute control over everything that went on. All the people that were still trapped in the matrix crowded the streets pushing and shoving their way through like animals trapped in a cage. Isaiah looked at Brandan he could tell that he was still slightly shaken from the failure of the last mission. It also seemed like he was uneasy about this mission for some reason, may have been the fact that it was only the three of them going in. They walked into a building and took an elevator to the top level, they stepped off and could see Thadeus standing next to a maintenance door.

"There he is," said Tabatha. They walked over to him.

"Captain Brandan it's good to see you guys are well, I just wish it was under better circumstances," said Thadeus.

"As do I. Mind explaining how this happened?" he asked. Thadeus shook his head slightly then turned to face the door.

"We were after a couple of exiles and once we had dealt with them we were headed to an exit. Cho Wei made it to it first but this wall and door appeared around her. Seraph the Oracle's guardian has informed me that this is reminiscent of the Merovingian although we can't figure out what the purpose of this is. Seraph seems to think that the only way to open the door is to use a key that the Key Maker will have to sculpt for us."

"Sounds complicated," said Isaiah.

"Yeah I know and guess who has the Key Maker?"

"What who?" asked Brandan. "The Merovingian, I need to stay here on look out and Captain Niobe is awaiting word from the commander, this is why I asked for your help. And I know you're wondering about the rest of my crew, truth is some of our broadcast equipment was damaged in a sentinel attack and is currently under repair. That is why we need you three. You need to get to the Merovingian's Chateau and get the key for us and bring it back here so we can open the door and free Cho Wei," explained Thadeus.

"No problem Captain Thadeus, we've dealt with the Merovingian before and came out on top. Don't worry we'll get the job done."

"I knew I could count on you." Brandan and the others walked away from Thadeus leaving him there. He took out his phone and called Parker.

"Operator."

"Yeah Parker very shortly we're going to need some wheels."

"Head two blocks north and it'll be waiting for you."

"Sounds good." Brandan put away his phone and they headed out. They walked the short distance to the car and got in with Tabatha in the drivers seat and started toward their destination not really even knowing where it was. Brandan got on the phone with Parker.

"Yeah Parker you've dealt with the Merovingian where is his chateau?" he asked. Parker typed in some information and waited briefly.

"It's about five hundred miles north of the city up in the mountains."

"Are you kidding how are we gonna get there?"

"Hold on I'll see how close I can get you with a hack you might have to exit back into the construct and be reloaded." Brandan waited for a few seconds while Parker checked his hack list to see what he could do to get them closer. "Hm, luckily his chateau happens to be overlooking a small town that's only a mile or so away."

"But is there a hard line there that we can load into that's the question?"

"Tracing." Parker tapped in a few commands as the computer did a hard line trace. "I've got one, town square payphone. Get back to the hard line so I can reload you." "Done." Brandan closed his phone and put it in his pocket.

"We have to go back to the loading point Parkers got to reload us to the right spot. It's too far away for us to drive to the Merovingian's Chateau." Tabatha looked forward and pressed on the gas.

"Aye Captain."

They pulled into the lot and parked the car.

"Let's move." Brandan took out his cell phone and called Parker.

"Operator."

"Is the exit clean?"

"Yes sir all clear."

"Alright talk to you soon." The three of them got out of the car and headed back to the exit. They approached the ringing phone, Brandan nodded at Isaiah, he nodded back and put the phone to his ear fading away. "You next," said Brandan looking at Tabatha as he put the phone back on the jack. She nodded acknowledging his order as the phone began to ring again she walked over and put the phone to her ear. Brandan placed the phone on the jack one last time waiting for it to ring he looked at his surroundings and just as the phone started to ring he placed it to his ear returning to the construct program. Brandan opened his eyes to be inside the construct program he took out his phone.

"Parker how long before you reload us?" he asked. Parker hit some keys.

"It'll be a few minutes Captain I have to set you up at the proper loading point." Parker hit a few more keystrokes. "Alright I got it, just try to lay low you're going to stand out a bit get to the bowels of the Merovingian's Chateau you can enter through the large sewer duct I'm uploading the location that you should find the Key Maker in, but it's only based on speculation." Brandan looked at Tabatha and Isaiah.

"Load us in Parker." Their surroundings changed to that of a small abandoned house dust and cobwebs were visible everywhere. Brandan gave the signal and began to walk Tabatha and Isaiah followed. The three of them walked out of the back door of the house and into a grassy field.

"Do you two have the location?" asked Brandan looking to each of them. The two of them nodded and they kept walking through the field when they came to a large sewer drain.

"This is what I was afraid of," Tabatha sighed as she stepped up into the drain, "Just remember it's not real." Brandan and Isaiah followed her into the drain.

"Sure isn't but that smell sure feels real," said Isaiah as the tunnel they walked into started to dip and lead down.

"Come on guys focus on the situation we don't know what we're going to encounter into here," said Brandan as he pulled out his cell phone, "and we have no cell phone signal in here." Brandan put his cell phone away and kept walking it wasn't long before they came to a door at the end of the tunnel. They step through the door and walk into a basement like structure, they take a look around and the tunnel the walls are cracking and in places moldy showing their age. The cement tiled floor has different strange markings on every other tile, visible at the end of the tunnel is a wall of metal bars beyond there are lights and deeper tunnels. At the end of the tunnel there is a corner.

"Wow that's welcoming," said Isaiah taking in the scenery.

"The key maker should be held in a cell that's a floor above us," said Brandan as he took a few steps in and removed his glasses, "keep your guard up guys." Brandan put his glasses back on and they started to walk in. Tabatha and Isaiah followed looking around suspiciously.

"Do you think they know we're here?" asked Isaiah. Tabatha looked at him sharply after looking around the room a bit more as they continued to walk.

"Yes, they do, there's no way for them not to, it's the Merovingian." Brandan looked back at both of them. The two of them quieted down.

In the ship Parker and Colin are watching the code as Brandan and the others walk through the tunnel. Parker leans in closer to the screen noticing something unfamiliar.

"Hey Colin do you see that?" he asked. Colin leaned in closer.

"Yes I see it."

"I've never seen code like that before in the Merovingian's Chateau."

"Call them." Parker types in the information puts his mouth piece up.

"Dammit no signal."

"Shit, what do we do?" Tarra leans in from behind them and looks at the screen.

"All you can do," she said, "trust they can take care of themselves."

Back inside Brandan, Isaiah, and Tabatha had made it deeper within the labyrinth. Isaiah turned quickly at a noise.

"What was that?" he asked. The others turned as Isaiah looked around he saw a rock roll to the ground.

"This place is falling apart," said Tabatha, "let's keep moving." Tabatha turned and walked forward ahead of them.

"Tabatha wait," said Isaiah. No sooner had Isaiah uttered the words the wall beside Tabatha exploded and a humanoid form came rushing at her. As the wall exploded Tabatha shielded her face from the debris that flew to her from it. The exile that burst from it came at her swinging Tabatha dodged his attacks with ease as she focused herself, time started to slow as she attacked her opponent coming at him with her feet flying. Tabatha grabbed him and threw him into the wall, causing it to crack and the man fell to the ground. Tabatha looked back at them.

"That is a nice hiding place." Brandan looked at her then looked ahead. "And now that we know there's no reason for them to keep hiding." Isaiah took a look around.

"I say we get moving let them come." They turned around another corner and came to a large door. "There should be a large room on the other side of this door." Brandan puts his back to the door and looks at Tabatha and Isaiah, they each look at him then at each other and remove their guns from their holsters, Isaiah removing his handgun from underneath his jacket and checking the clip, Tabatha removed her dual guns and flipped them each around in their respective hands to inspect them and took them in her hands ready to fire.

"Ready when you are Captain," she said. Brandan nodded and took out his gun after checking it.

"Let's go." Brandan gave them each one last glance and the three of them burst through the door guns at the ready. They come through the door and there is nothing to see each of them look at their surroundings there is nothing to be seen. They look at each other in confusion, they hear someone breathing.

"Shh do you hear that?" Isaiah looked around again then looked up to see 4 men standing on the ceiling pointing their guns at them. "Shit!" The three of them dispersed as the men opened fire on them returning fire. Isaiah returned fire on their attackers and backed behind one of the many pillars in the room. The stone chipped away from the pillar as the bullets collided with it. Isaiah new he had to find a way to disarm them and take them out, he took one last breath and began to focus himself, the seconds seemed to slow as Isaiah stepped out into view the bullets slowed and he moved easily between them. Isaiah opened fire again at them as he jumped into the air. Isaiah focused his hardest and managed to change his center of gravity. Isaiah shocked the men as he now stood on the ceiling between them, punching one in the face knocking him off the ceiling, as he hit the ground Tabatha grabbed him. Isaiah split kicked the two that stood on either side of him and Brandan engaged them on the ground disarming them. Isaiah quickly turned to the last of them and wrapped his legs around the mans neck quickly doing a backflip dropping to the ground and dropping them both to the ground landing with his weight on the mans neck. Isaiah came out of his focus and got to his feet quickly looking back at the man that he was confident should be dead. The man jumped to his feet quickly and pulled out a weapon.

"Dammit, what kind of exile are you?"

"The kind that doesn't die easily my friend," he slithered. The exile came at Isaiah swinging the weapon a shimmering dagger. Isaiah ducked and maneuvered around the weapon as quick as he could, he grabbed the mans hand and flipped it around at him forcing the knife into the mans stomach.

"How's that?" said Isaiah. The man smiled at him and kissed him on the lips briefly.

"Not good enough little boy, wanna play." Isaiah ripped the knife out of his body and through it on the ground. Isaiah began a relentless combo attacking the man from every angle he could. Isaiah focused again slowing time punching the man with a low attack causing him to bend over, as the exile bent over he back flipped kicking him in the face sending him flying through the air. Before he could hit the wall Isaiah sprung into the air and drove his foot into the mans chest and crashing him to the ground. The exile did a back flip knocking Isaiah into a nearby wall. Tabatha grabbed the exile as he fell from the ground and forced her gun into his stomach opening fire and emptying and entire clip into him. The exile looked up at her and smiled.

"Not good enough," the exile's voice was deep and engulfing. He broke her hold on him and kicked her back into a wall. The exile through another punch at her Tabatha dropped to the ground and the exile's fist went into the wall breaking through the ancient stone getting his fist stuck. Tabatha jumped to her feet behind him and grabbed him by the head and snapped his neck then kicked him into the wall.

"Was that?" Tabatha turned her back to look to Brandan who was tangling with the other two exiles.

"Tabatha look out!" yelled Isaiah as he knocked the exile he was fighting against the wall. The exile she had been fighting lunched at her, Tabatha focused and jumped into the air looking down as the exile looked up at her. Tabatha smiled down at him then shot down on his face with the heel of her boot crushing his head into the ground, she twisted her boot and jumped a few feet from the body and looked at him.

"What the hell are these guys?" The man got up and smiled at her with blood running down his face. "Your time is coming." Tabatha dashed at the man and attacked him with a high kick that was successfully blocked by the exile. The exile fought back attacking her in full force. The exile punched her in the face and she counterattacked him grabbing his arm and pulling him into her elbow. Tabatha began to focus and started to pummel the exile's chest then grabbed both of his arms and flipped off his chest sending him flying several feet from her. Tabatha glanced at Isaiah nodding to him thanking him as he continued to fight. The other two exiles hit he ground and jumped to their feet Brandan walked up to them and opened fire on both of them at point blank range until the clip was empty and threw the gun to the floor. Both of them rushed at him he ducked one punch and jumped a kick. Brandan hit the ground and grabbed both men by the arms and pulled them together elbowing each of them in the face. He pushed one of them down and pulled the other one into a knee to the gut then uppercut him into the air then jumped kicked him into the wall. Brandan turned his attention to the other exile that was now running at him. Brandan focused and lifted into the air and kicked the man in the face then dropped to the ground.

"Ah," Isaiah called out in pain. Brandan turned to face him and could see that the exile had Isaiah subdued and in a hold with the knife to his throat.

"Isaiah!" Tabatha and her attacker both stopped and looked at each other then to Isaiah in the choke hold.

"Give up now or I'll cut his throat," slithered the exile.

"Don't do it, kill them Brandan." Brandan and Tabatha looked at each other then to Isaiah and lowered their hands to their sides. One of the exiles came up behind Brandan and knocked him out with a club. "Dammit," said Isaiah. The exile leaned into Isaiah and licked his ear then knocked him out and dropped him to the ground. Tabatha looked at both of them as the other three exiles approached her from all sides. Tabatha looked all around her for an exit. Tabatha saw that there was another door at the other end of the room.

"That's it." Tabatha focused her hardest and jumped into the air at the wall, she dashed all along the wall toward the door, the exiles opened fire on her but she kicked the door open and slipped through and dashing as fast as she could down the hallway and got her back to a corner. Three of the exiles burst through the doorway.

"He will be very displeased with us for this," said the exile that she had been fighting in his deep gurgling voice.

"Tell Cujo we have a worry he needs to take care of," slithered the other.

"Great," said Tabatha walking down the hall, "I have to complete the mission, I'll deal with them later."

Parker, Colin and the others were watching the code as all was happening.

"Man you've gotta send me in there, they're going to kill them," said Colin jumping into one of the broadcast terminals.

"We can't, not yet, those exiles would have killed them by now if they were going to I don't think that our regular fighting method is going to kill those bastards," explained Parker. Saba looked at Colin then him.

"What do you mean Parker?" Parker typed in some information and one of the screens changed to a body of one of the Merovingians exiles. "I thought I'd never dealt with one these exiles before but it turns out they are in my database. When these programs went exile they chose to be vampiric and much like vampires only a few things will kill them, stake to the heart or complete decapitation."

"How many people keep a stake on hand?" asked Tara.

Tabatha turned a corner and came to some steps that she was sure would lead her to where she needed to be. Tabatha took a quick look around and dashed for the steps and ran up them. She came to another long hallway that seemed to go forever it was lined with cells from which she could hear movement. Tabatha stepped into the hall as her shoe clicked several cells came alive and people were staring at her. Tabatha slowly approached the first cell she came to.

"Where is the Key Maker?" she asked the inmate. As she looked at him she realized that he had no eyes and his mouth was sown shut. She backed away from the cell and started to walk again.

"My eye's they took my eye!" cried one of the inmates.

"Where is the key maker?" Tabatha could hear the sound of metal scraping and what sounded like a rusty wheel turning. She ran toward the sound as it got louder and louder as she got closer. Tabatha finally came to the cell and looked in. A small Asian man was sitting in the room the walls were lined with keys that sparkled in the small amount of light from the cell window. The man sat facing a crewed machine that she now came to realize was a grinder. "Are you the Key Maker?" The man stopped what he was doing and looked back at her.

"Are you Tabatha from the Navras?"

"Yes but how did you know that?" she asked confused. The Key Maker stepped up to the window holding a key.

"I know only what I must know," he held up the key, "I believe this is the reason you're here." The Key Maker passed her the key.

"Thank you."

"Now go you must leave here before they find you," the man pulls out another key. "This key will get you out of the chateau and back to your friend."

"What about Brandan and Isaiah where will they be taken?"

"They will be fine now go you have to trust me use the key on the last door you came from." Tabatha nodded and ran back the way she came. Tabatha ran as fast as she could bounding down the steps she came up from and ran to the door. She stuck the key in the door and opened it. The door led to what looked like the construct program but it was a long hallway of doors, she stepped in and closed the door.

Parker was still watching closely as Tabatha walked through the door and closed it. "Where did she go?" he asked. Colin was still with him.

"Don't worry about it she's awake what about the others?"


	37. The Escape

Chapter 37: Escape

Brandan opened his eyes to realize that he was strapped to a table in a dark room. He could hear a quiet hum from somewhere close-by, there didn't appear to be anyone around. Brandan was strapped to a large cement block by both his arms and legs. He struggled to get up but the straps were too tight.

"Damnit," said Brandan, "I've got to get the hell outta here." Brandan closed his eyes and focused on moving the straps, the room started to shake as he focused as hard as he could on getting free. Brandan lost his focus and the cryptic furniture came crashing to the ground. He let out a sigh of frustration as he realized he couldn't get himself free on his own. "Now what do I do? I need to get to a phone." Brandan sat thinking for a few minutes as he thought through the battle from earlier trying to figure out why he couldn't beat them. "What was so different from them?" he asked out loud. Suddenly a female figure walked into the dark room.

"They're vampires, couldn't ya tell?" she said. Brandan looked at the women she was dressed like one of the people that they had seen in the Merovingian's club. She wore a red corset with black mesh stalking, her hair was black with a red flip in the front. "Looks like you got yourself caught in the wrong place at the wrong time." She took a step over to him and looked down at him.

"I guess so?" The women got up on the table straddling him.

"Could be a good thing if you wanted it to be," said the women. She leaned forward and kissed him on the neck then made her way up to his ear. "Do you want it to be?"

"I'm flattered really, but my heart belongs to someone else," Brandan moved his head to the side. "I really need to get out of this mess and save my friends, can you help me free?" he asked. The women sat up looking him in the face still straddling him.

"You're no fun," she said, "I'd never do anything against anyone's will, unless, well, never mind. I'll help you free." The women cut the straps holding him to the table and jumped off of him. Brandan quickly jumped to his feet and searched his character for his phone and pulled it out. He checked the phone trying to determine if they were in the same place or if they'd been taken away from the chateau. "That won't work down here, we're two stories underground."

"Are we still in the chateau?"

"The basement." The women, whom Brandan determined at this point was an exile walked toward him. Even though she had helped him thus far there was still no reason for him to trust her given the circumstances, he wasn't about to let his guard down around her.

"Can you show me how to get out? Do you know where they are holding my friends?"

"Friends?" she asked confused. "I only recall the smaller one they have in the attic, the female got away." Brandan let out a sigh of relief. "But to answer you more relevant question and the important one at hand. Yes I can show you how to get out of here, but no one leaves without his permission."

"Who, the Merovingian, I'd like to see that old man stop me from getting out of here."

"The Merovingian," laughed the exile, "He's not what you've got to worry about down here, I'm talking about Cujo. He's the guardian of the catacombs. I can show you to his arena but then you are at his mercy."

"Then let's go," said Brandan sternly adjusting his jacket. The exile smiled at him as she walked out of the door. Brandan started to follow her, then stopped remembering what she had said about the exiles here. He looked at a nearby wooden table and broke off a part of the leg stuffing the sharp edged stake in his jacket. He then proceeded to walk out the door.

The door led to what seemed to be miles of the underground stone tunnels that made up the underbelly of the chateau. The exile walked ahead of him up the dimly lit hallway seemingly carelessly. Brandan followed her reluctantly remembering the exiles that had attacked him earlier coming from the wall.

"Don't worry, there's no one around right now, they're all asleep... except Cujo," she said seemingly reading his mind.

"That's convenient," Brandan sighed. Brandan and the exile walked through the tunnels and passed several occupied holding cells. The occupants were banging on the doors and wailing, some calling out about their eyes others sounded like they were unable to move their mouths. "Why are these people here?"

"Oh they're just people who made some kind of deal with the Merovingian and didn't keep their side of the bargain," she answered casually, "So he followed through on their contract." They kept moving and eventually came to a set of stairs. "This takes us to the holding spot for most of the important programs." The exile stopped and looked at him causing Brandan to stop walking. "There will be a minimal guard detail up here, just a couple of idiots for the most part but they can be dangerous. After that you will come to the stairs that will take you to the arena. This is as far as I can take you," she explained. "I have to await the One, so that I can fulfill my purpose." Brandan gave her an appreciative nod then walked forward and up the stairs. "Good luck."

Brandan could see the light at the top of the stairs. He ducked down as he got closer to the top to get a look at the top of the stairs, so he could see the challenge awaiting him. Brandan came to the top of the steps and didn't see anything. He listened carefully to his surroundings hoping for some hint that someone was around. He could hear a grinding sound that sounded like stone grinding on metal. He slowly started walking down the hall toward the noise that got louder and louder as he descended deeper into the hall. He came to the cell that the noise was coming from. He looked inside to see the Key Maker sitting at a grinder making his keys.

"Hey," said Brandan, "I need a key from you, a friend of mine is trapped." The old man looked up from what he was doing and walked over to the bars.

"I have already given the key to your crewmate, she was here several hours ago," The Key Maker reached into his apron and pulled out a key. "This will get you back to your friends, but first you need to find your friend in the upper levels. Once you're reunited it will work for any door," Brandan took the key and looked at it briefly then looked at the key maker. "Now go, quickly. The guards are coming."

"Come on, get outta there," Parker and Colin watched as the two exiles walked down the hall just around a corner from the cell Brandan was standing at. "Come on you've gotta send me in there Parker!" Colin stomped his foot and ran over to the one of the terminals to start prepping it.

"Colin I told you, it's not going to help. If I send anyone else in it would just make it more difficult to get you all out," explained Parker, "The Captain will be fine and looking at Isaiah he's in no immediate danger." Parker looked at the neighbouring monitor. Isaiah was strapped to the floor in the attic. They had watched an exile with long hair take him to the attic and set up a pentagram and burning candles around him. He had been there for an hour and still hadn't waken up. "Just sit tight they'll get through this."

Brandan suddenly heard footsteps from around the corner and put his back to the wall lying in wait. As he sat there two men walked around the corner. One was taller than the other and wore a long black trench coat. The other was dressed in a black suit. The two men walked a few more steps before one of them caught a glimpse of him. Before they could react Brandan jumped into the air, time seemed to slow as he quickly kicked the shorter out of the way and landed. His feet hit the ground and he swung his body around and connected his fist with the taller ones face, throwing two more heavy hits before breaking focus. He looked back and the other one had recovered from his initial attack and was running at him. Brandan bounded into the air and landed behind the exile, he seemingly had incapacitated the other one. He jumped at the other one drop kicking him in the back and pushing his face into the ground. Brandan jumped back and looked at the two of them, he didn't understand why these two were so much easier to knock out then the others. He could see that they were still breathing but decided he didn't have time to waste on them anymore, he had to move onto his next challenge. Then he needed to find Isaiah and get out of the chateau.

Isaiah slowly awoke feeling groggy from whatever they had used to knock him out. His arms were strapped to the floor with leather straps. He looked at his surroundings, his vision still cloudy, he took a deep breath and tried to focus. His vision slowly became clear as he began to grasp the situation. The straps around his hands were pinned to the floor boards and as he tried to move his hands he realized that the floorboards were loose. If he could only move it enough to knock the candle over he could use it to burn the strap off his hand. Isaiah started tugging on the strap and the candle shortly fell, he caught it but burned himself as he used it to burn the strap. The strap let go and Isaiah reached over freeing himself from the other straps and quickly got to his feet.

"Gotta find a phone," he said to himself as he took a step forward. Isaiah could see two large doors only a few meters from him. He started toward them and a tall man with a long black trench with hair to match suddenly dropped from the ceiling. Isaiah jumped back a few feet taken by surprise. "Who're you?" he asked.

"My name, if Vladimir, but you may call me Vlad," said the strange man in a thick Russian accent. "You see my young friend, the Merovingian wants you to stay put for awhile. I'm not allowed to let you leave."

"That's okay," said Isaiah taking up a fighting stance, "You don't have to **let** me do anything." Isaiah jumped at the man fully focused he extended his foot in a drop kick. Vlad almost casually reached up and grabbed his foot, throwing him against the wall. Caught off guard by the attack Isaiah slowly got to his feet.

"I don't think you're understanding me," laughed Vlad. Isaiah quickly realized he wasn't dealing with the Merovingian's typical goon. Vlad walked toward him and grabbed him by the neck and forced him into the wall. "You're not going anywhere, so why don't you just hang around for awhile." Isaiah discretely reached into his pocket and pulled out a flash grenade he popped the cap with his finger and dropped it.

"I'm not much for wasting time." Isaiah closed his eyes just as the flash went off. Vlad dropped him and staggered back covering his eyes. Isaiah ran at him and focused his hardest seemingly bringing time to a halt. Isaiah uppercut him causing him to bend back, Isaiah took this chance and ran up Vlad's body bracing his foot on his neck and kicking him in the face with the other foot. As Vlad was falling to the ground Isaiah made a mad dash for the door, he kicked it open and ran down a set of steps. Isaiah felt that if he stopped running Vlad would catch him, he came to the end of the steps and ran out into a hallway. He looked around at his surroundings, he started running again choosing to go down the hallway to the left. The large house reminded Isaiah of a museum the decor was expensive and it looked like it hadn't changed in years. Isaiah kept running and turned a right corner, he could hear voices nearby but the hallway was lined with doors and rooms, making it impossible to make a quick diagnosis as to where they were coming from. Isaiah kept running to keep away from Vlad not really sure where he would have to go to find a phone somewhere in the building.

Brandan walked down the steps toward the large arena, a large dirt pit dug out in the middle of the floor. He could see the way out on the other side of the arena, there didn't seem to be anyone around but he felt as though he was being watched. As Brandan set his foot down on the last step a cage gate above the arena slipped open and a large man jumped down on into the arena. Brandan assumed this was Cujo.

"This ends here!" the man called out. The man stayed in the arena but took up a fighting stance waiting for Brandan to take the step in.

"You're right, it does," Brandan whispered to himself. He took off running and bounded into the arena, he ran at Cujo and jumped at him with his feet forward to kick him. Cujo bent over backwards and Brandan flew right over top of him. Brandan hit the ground and turned just in time to take a combo to the face. Cujo hit him three times then grabbed him by the shirt and flipped him over onto the ground. Brandan back flipped away from him in time to avoid a crushing blow to the head. Brandan focused his hardest ran at him bouncing over behind him then dropped to the ground quickly in time to jab Cujo in the back. He grabbed Cujo and tripped him, as he hit the ground he reached into his coat for the stake and brought it down on him. Cujo grabbed his hands and quickly kicked Brandan into the air and got to his feet.

"Is that the best you've got, I'm surprised you've made it this far," Cujo laughed. "Give up you're no match for me!" Brandan took up a fighting stance and beckoned for Cujo to come at him. Cujo smiled and ran at him, just as Cujo got in range of Brandan he did a back flip, the tip of his foot hitting Cujo's chin snapping his neck back. Brandan saw his opening and took it, he took an offensive stance and went in fists flying, hitting Cujo with a combo of punches and jabs for as long as he could hold his focus. Cujo started to recover but before he could Brandan moved quickly as time slowed down, he tripped him quickly flipping him sideways mid-air and punching him away from him.

"No match for you, huh," Brandan taunted. Cujo got to his feet quickly before he could react Brandan was already on him. He hit Cujo as hard as he could and as fast as he could muster hitting Cujo in the face before whirling around and delivering a round house kick to hit him to the ground.

"Not good enough, now I'm mad." Cujo jumped to his feet and put his hands in the air and brought them down to his side. He seemed to be channelling something before Brandan knew it Cujo came flying at him with his fists forward hitting him in the chest and knocking him into the wall. Brandan was down on one knee and looked up as Cujo walked toward him, not sure what he was going to do.

"Man what the hell is that thing? I've never seen that kind of code before," said Parker analyzing the screen. Colin bent over him and looked into the screen then brought his hand down hard on a nearby table.

"Well whatever the hell it is, it's killing him." Colin watched as Brandan's body jolted as he took another harsh attack from the exile. "Isaiah needs to get there fast." The ship communicator started to ring and Parker picked up, it was Tabatha.

"Where the hell have you been?" he asked. He shifted his view screen to home in on her, she was now in the main city not too far from Cho Wei and Thaddeus.

"It's a long story I need an upload of Thaddeus location, I've got the key," she said from the other end. Parker hit a few keys on his keyboard.

"You got it, you're actually not far off, now get over there so they can get out and get to your exit, the captain and Isaiah aren't having much luck," explained Parker.

"Okay." Tabatha hung up her phone and put it back in her jacket pocket. She would take to the roof to get back to the others, they weren't that far away. Tabatha had taken the programmers maintenance line back to the city just as the Key Maker had told her to. She jogged into a nearby apartment complex where she would take the elevator to get to the roof. She stepped into the elevator and hit the button to take her to the roof. The doors closed and she waited patiently feeling guilty at how easy it had been for her to get away while the others were having such difficulty. The elevator doors opened again and she was on the roof, she took to running and jumped to the next building. Thaddeus was close by only two of three jumps away and she'd be there, she dashed across the top of another building and bounded easily to the next. She could see Thaddeus on the next building. "Thaddeus, I've got the key." Thaddeus turned and waved to her beckoning her over to him.

Isaiah took another right, he hadn't seen the Vladimir for about ten minutes so he assumed he wasn't being followed, when he suddenly heard a commotion behind him. Quickly Isaiah slipped into the next available door and quietly closed it. He waited with his ear to the door when he heard something behind him. Isaiah swung around to see a familiar face.

"It's been awhile." Persephone was laying on a love seat across from a large television screen. "Last we met I believe was in my husband's club, such an informal introduction." Isaiah looked at her not sure what to do next. "Relax, if I've been you watching you and your friend, Brandan, is it? He's in trouble and could really use your help. But you will never find him without my help." Isaiah looked up at the screen, it was Brandan fighting an exile, it was easy to tell he was losing.

"What do you want?" asked Isaiah obviously on guard. Persephone stood up and took a couple of steps toward him. "Back off." Isaiah took out his handgun and pointed it at her and she stopped.

"I never used to know the answer to that question, but now, it is all that I ever think about."

"How do I get to him?" asked Isaiah getting anxious as the exile picked Brandan up and slammed him to the ground.

"You love someone do you not?" Isaiah was caught off guard by the question not really understanding what it had to do with their current situation. "Yes I can see it in you, but they do not know." Persephone reached out and touched his chest, he backed off now standing with his back to the door. "If you want me to help you, you must kiss me like you are kissing the one you love."

"Or I could shoot you between the eyes, if you don't help me." Isaiah pressed the barrel of his gun to her forehead, she cracked a smile at him.

"Silly boy didn't your mother teach you that you get more favours with sugar then bullets. If you shoot me your friend will die." Isaiah dropped the gun to his side and looked at her. "That's what I thought." Persephone smiled.

"Alright, just get it over with." Isaiah looked at her starting to feel desperate, as he seen Brandan getting beaten on the screen.

"Remember you must make me feel like I'm the one you love." Isaiah motion for her to kiss him wanting to get it over with. Persephone leaned in and kissed him on the lips then quickly pulled back. "That was horrible, looks like your friend will die." She turned away and walked back over to her seat.

"Wait, I'm sorry." Persephone looked at him over her shoulder before turning around and walking over to him. Isaiah took off his glasses and looked at her. She leaned in to kiss him and he put his hand on her face, closing his eyes. Isaiah pictured the one he loved and kissed Persephone passionately. After a several long seconds Isaiah pulled back from the kiss and slid his glasses back on. Persephone stood with her eyes closed for several seconds and bit her bottom lip.

"Yes, that's what I needed," she whispered to herself before opening her eyes and smiling at him, "It is a strong love indeed, but a love such as yours is not widely known about in your society." Persephone took a small purse off of a nearby shelf and took out a key. "Just as I said I will help you get to your friend." She walked over to the door and slid the key in then opened the door.

"What are you doing?" Isaiah was sure she was about to betray him, but as the door opened it was not the hallway he had come from.

"Your friend is down this hallway to the left."

"Thank you," said Isaiah as he went through the doorway. Persephone shut the door behind him. Isaiah took off down the hall and took the left turn he could see the arena where Brandan and Cujo were fighting. Cujo had Brandan pinned to the ground with his foot and was about to snap his arm. "Hang on!" Isaiah focused his hardest and dashed as fast as he could time slowed down to the point that he was sure Cujo couldn't see him. Isaiah connected his fist with Cujo's side instantly freeing Brandan from his grip. Isaiah started a relentless combo swinging and kicking for all he was worth. Isaiah jumped into the air and butterfly kicked Cujo sending him flying into the wall and landed on the ground. He reached down and helped Brandan to his feet. "Now's our chance, go!" The two of them ran back the way Isaiah came before Cujo had any time to recover. They ran through the door that Isaiah had come through and were standing in a corridor when an exile dropped from the ceiling between them.

The exile kicked Isaiah to the ground and raised his fist to hit Brandan. Brandan took the stake he was holding and thrust it into the exile's chest. The exile dropped to the floor shaking violently and then turned to dust.

"What the hell?" said Isaiah confused.

"Never mind, let's get going," Brandan took out the key and turned around, "I hope this works I guess we'll see what he was talking about." Brandan put the key into the door and opened it. It opened up directly to an exit, just in time for him to see Tabatha disappear.

"Man how did they. . ." said Parker confused. Colin pulled the plug from Tabatha's neck and she sat up.

"Never mind that, just send them the signal!" Parker sent the tone and Brandan picked up first since he was injured then Isaiah. Brandan sat up as Colin pulled the plug and put his finger in his mouth.

"Man that guy was tough," he said looking at his finger. There was blood on his fingers and he could taste it in his mouth. "Tabatha, did you get Cho Wei out?" he asked. Tabatha nodded and Brandan let out a sigh of relief. "Good then we at least got the mission done."


End file.
